The Magic We Share
by thespectralbones
Summary: Following the events of the Grand Triskellion, life at Luna Nova has returned to normal. Well, within reason. Until Diana Cavendish and Akko Kagari find themselves trapped in a dangerous situation that reveals the reappearance of an ancient evil. The pair find themselves fighting for the future of magic - and their lives. Rated M for future violence & sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes from the Author**

This is my first time writing fanfiction. I'm used to creating my own characters, so encompassing personalities that are already developed is quite the challenge.

I'm also new to this fandom, so _please_ let me know if any lore is inaccurate.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 _Discord_

Akko was in trouble. That much was obvious.

The Wyvern rumbled towards her, jaw agape to reveal two rows of deadly fangs. Saliva struck the ground in sharpened icicles, frozen by the foul, icy breath of the creature ready to swallow her alive. Or, not alive. Akko didn't know, and she certainly didn't want to find out. She had to do something, and fast.

Taking a deep breath, she rose from where she'd been crouching behind the thick bush that was serving as her cover and pointed her wand straight at the oncoming beast.

" _Ventus cuniculum_!" she shouted, screaming out the first attack spell that came to her mind. Her teeth gnashed together as she felt the magic pulse through her arm and from the tip of the wand. A blast of swirling wind was sent straight into the Wyvern's open mouth. The beast stumbled, its gaping maw snapping shut in surprise, rearing back on its legs and spreading huge, formidable wings before collapsing backwards. Its scales pulsed in color, changing from a cool blue into a shimmering gray.

Akko felt herself grinning. The Wyvern wasn't dead, but Akko was sure that she had pacified the creature. She tucked her wand away and crossed her arms boldly across her chest. She could feel blood slowly leaking from cuts as a result from sprinting through the forest, but that didn't bother her. "That'll show you!" she said with conviction, a confident lilt etching its way into her voice.

But the Wyvern was far from taken care of. Its once threatening gaze turned to pure malevolence as it blinked up at the small witch. The beast rose with renewed vigor, scales glimmering almost as though it had… grown armor? Wings stretched outward once again, the motion sending forth harsh, cold wind that chilled Akko to the core.

The Wyvern opened its mouth once again, nostrils flaring as an ear-piercing roar filled the air. Icy breath bellowed from a widening mouth, freezing a line of trees and bushes close to Akko that shattered into nothing more than piles of ice. She lifted her hands to deflect ice that had flown in her direction.

Before Akko could even reach for her wand, the Wyvern was lumbering in her direction. She didn't have any time. She stumbled backwards, crossing her arms in front of her face in a last resort for defense, waiting for those frozen teeth to sink into her body and-

" _Murowa_!"

The ground suddenly stopped quaking beneath Akko's feet. No deadly fangs sank into her flesh. She could no longer feel the frozen breath of the looming creature. She waited for a moment before peeking out from behind her arms to see that it was true, she hadn't been eaten. The Wyvern was gone. Instead, a pile of smoldering ashes were settling into the ground mere inches from her.

"Diana?" Akko glanced around until she found the familiar blonde witch hovering nearby on her broomstick. "Diana!" She couldn't hide the glee in her voice. "You did it! You killed the dragon!"

Diana was tucking her wand away as she slowly lowered her broomstick and climbed gracefully off, examining the results of the once-Wyvern and huffing angrily. "Akko, you can't possibly be serious, can you? What were you thinking? You put yourself in so much danger."

Akko began brushing the dirt off her sleeves. She shrugged. "I had it," she said. "Well, I thought so. I tried to-"

"I know precisely what you did," Diana said, piercing blue eyes locking on Akko. "You did the exact thing that we discussed you were _not_ to do. Besides," she crossed her arms across her chest, blowing a strand of hair from her eyes and inhaling deeply, "you are well aware that we were not supposed to kill the creature."

The earth was once again quivering under their feet, but both of the witches ignored it. Akko felt her cheeks reddening as she glared back at Diana, fists clenching at the sides of her dirty school uniform.

"You immediately broke away from the plan, you took off without me, you didn't even _try_ to engage in any kind of actual defensive skill-" Akko could barely hear Diana over the rushing wind that had filled her ears. Still, she unfortunately knew exactly what Diana was saying. "Plus, you used a wind spell," Diana continued as the Arcturus Forest slowly melted around them, "which, if you'd even bothered to study, you would very well know that first, that was not a dragon, but in fact an Ice Wyvern, and, second, that wind acts as a defensive buff to them."

"I did study! I must have just… missed that part," Akko screamed back. She hadn't studied at all, in fact. Her face was burning red hot. Her stomach lurched as the entire world seemed to shift around them. "Besides, your plan was horrible. It was headed straight for me, what was I supposed to do?"

Diana closed her eyes and lifted a few fingers to her temple, as though speaking to Akko had given her a headache. "I swear, Akko, you are absolutely incorrigible," she said, just as the world had stopped shifting, the wind had died down, and Akko had yelled, "Not everyone's perfect like you, _Diana_!"

They were surrounded by absolute silence.

Both witches looked up from each other. Rows of students stared at them, gawking. Well, except for Sucy, who had a hand covering her mouth and was clearly overjoyed by the dispute on display.

"Well, then." Professor Badcock broke the silence, lowering her glasses on her nose to glower at Diana and Akko from her lecture stand, which had been positioned on the side of the room to watch the practical exercises. "Miss Kagari, Miss Cavendish, you may take your seats. Please come see me after class."

Diana, without so much as a glance at Akko, nodded curtly to Professor Badcock with a polite, "Yes, Professor," before walking back to take her seat among the other members of the Blue Team.

Akko glared after Diana, nostrils flaring. She said nothing, but instead stomped her way over to her own seat to plop down between Sucy and Lotte in a huff.

"Nice one," Sucy mumbled, nudging Akko with an elbow. Lotte, on the other hand, simply goggled at Akko from behind thick lenses before quickly turning back to her notes as though they were far more interesting than the bickering everyone had just witnessed.

Akko could feel Diana's eyes on the back of her head. She slumped down in her chair, crossing her arms over her body and staring straight ahead as the next pair of students entered the simulation. Who did Diana think that she was? Well, besides the most successful student in school? Akko had a great plan going. If Diana had listened in the first place, there wouldn't have been a single issue. The Wyvern would have been repelled, as the criteria explicitly stated as the ideal result of their use of defensive magic, and not killed. And, yet, Diana called _her_ incorrigible, as if she wasn't herself. All Diana did was fly in and perform a single offensive skill. Well, and kind of save her, but that wasn't the point. The class was called Defensive Magic for a reason, and Akko was of the opinion that she had been very much on the defense throughout the trial.

Professor Badcock seemed to think otherwise. "Girls, I'm not so sure what happened between the two of you in there, but that was the most discord I've seen amongst two students in quite a long time. Where do I begin? First, you killed the Wyvern. A mere projection, to be sure, but if this had been a real scenario, you would have found yourself on trial at the Ministry of Magic. You know very well that you are not, under any circumstances, to eliminate a magical creature who is simply indulging in its natural behavior. That is only called for in the extreme case that your life is threatened and," Badcock shot a pointed glare at Akko, "going out of your way to create a life threatening situation is not an excuse."

"Professor-" Diana started.

Professor Badcock held a hand up, instantly silencing Diana. Akko stood a clear foot away from the taller witch, glaring straight ahead.

"You're lucky that was an ungraded practical," Professor Badcock continued, "Because, otherwise, I fear that the mark you would have received would reflect rather poorly. _Especially_ for one such as yourself, Miss Cavendish."

Diana's cheeks had turned a deep shade of red, which gave Akko some kind of contentment. Akko had never been one for good grades, so a less than stellar mark wouldn't have come as a surprise to her. For Diana, though, she knew just hearing the possibility had to be devastating to her ego.

"The two of you have quite a bit of work to do." Professor Badcock was sorting papers on the lecture stand. On the paper holding Diana and Akko's simulation, Akko could clearly see a wall of red writing. "I am going to need to see quite a drastic improvement for your final practical exam. Remember, Defensive Magic is nothing without harmony. The two of you need to be in sync, which, based on your courageous defeat of the Noir Missile, the entire magical and civilian world knows you are capable of. And I don't know what the issue is," Professor Badcock narrowed her eyes from behind her glasses, "but I suggest you two work it out."

As their teacher shoveled her paperwork into her bag and hurried from the lecture hall, Akko felt Diana's eyes on her once again. She glanced up at the other witch.

Diana inhaled sharply, lips parting as though she had something to say, but nothing came out. Instead, she exhaled a deep sigh and turned, wavy blonde hair swishing at her shoulders, and left the room after Professor Badcock.

Badcock was right. They _could_ work as a team, that much was obvious. Akko and Diana. But schoolwork was different. Whereas the objective had been mutually understood in the case of the Noir Missile and the Grand Triskellion, school was a vastly different environment. In that sense, they were as different as night and day, with the ever studious Diana excelling beyond her years and Akko blindly stumbling her way through her courses.

Grumbling to herself, Akko threw her bag of books over her shoulder and stomped off.

* * *

"Who does she think she is?"

Akko paced the floor of the room she shared with Lotte and Sucy, wringing her hands together as she glowered at nothing in particular. "She thinks she's so much better than everyone else."

"Well, she's certainly better than you," Sucy passively added. Luckily, Akko didn't hear her as she was too busy grumbling about Diana under her breath.

Lotte sighed. She'd been listening to Akko go on about Diana for the better part of an hour. Setting down the most recent volume of Night Fall, which she'd hardly gotten to read anyway (but that was kind of okay, because she'd already read it twice), she turned her gaze to her irate roommate. "She had a point, Akko. You ran off without her and then used a wind spell on an _Ice Wyvern_."

Sucy sniggered, glancing up from her desk where she sat smashing mushrooms with her mortar and pestle. "Too bad Diana was there, I wanted to see how _that_ one played out," she said.

" _Sucy!_ " Lotte shot a glare in her direction, turning her attention back to Akko. "You two just didn't work together." She shrugged. "Aside from you not doing the assigned reading," she said, before adding, "Which you should probably be doing right now instead of this."

"Whatever," Akko said, tossing her hand in the air as if deflecting the comment and the idea of studying as a general notion. "I'm too worked up. Did you see the way she was acting? She's impossible to work with!" she groaned.

"Not true." Lotte shook her head. "The two of you stopped the Noir Missile together. That took way more effort than a practice simulation. Besides, Diana picked _you_ as her partner for a practical worth half of our final grade. She clearly thinks you work well enough together. She's placed a lot of faith in you, Akko," Lotte reminds her.

Akko huffed, throwing herself dramatically onto her bed and turning her head to stare at her Shiny Chariot poster. Lotte was right, Diana _had_ chosen Akko, and the two of them _had_ synchronized in the face of extreme danger and destruction. But they were so different when it came to their studies. Diana was leagues beyond Akko in both intellect and skill. Diana could've chosen Hannah, or Barbara, or _anyone_ else. Even Amanda would have been a better option! But, now Akko was expected to match the skill level of the most talented witch at Luna Nova, maybe even the most talented witch to _ever grace_ Luna Nova. How?

Akko sighed heavily, burying her face in her hands. As much as she hated to admit it, Lotte was right. Diana had done nothing wrong. If anything, she had simply misplaced her expectations in a witch as unruly and untalented as Akko.

"If I was Diana, I would just use Akko as bait," Sucy said, leaning down to deeply inhale the scent of whatever it was she'd been making. She grinned, flashing a devious smile at her roommates. "That's employing Akko's greatest skill."

" _Sucy!_ " Lotte shrieked once more.

Sucy shrugged and returned her attention back to her alchemy, but Akko lowered her hands and hummed, eyebrows scrunching together in thought. Sucy had meant it as a dig, but—

"That's it!"

Akko shot up and dashed for the door.

"Akko!" Lotte cried from her bunk. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to talk to Diana!" she called out over her shoulder.

"But, Akko, wait, it's—"

The door slammed shut behind Akko, whose sprinting footsteps could be heard slowly disappearing down the hallway.

"—past curfew."

* * *

As Diana rounded the corner from the library, where she had been making sure that no students had fallen asleep over their studies and missed the call for curfew, the blonde witch was deep in thought.

She had selected Akko as her partner for the Defensive Magic assignment for several reasons. First, no one, even Diana Cavendish, could deny their magical compatibility. That much had been proven, even, as Professor Badcock stated, broadcast for the entire world to see. As much as she wasn't keen on finding her magic so synchronized with a witch so… _un-_ synchronized, Akko did have the exact personality type to balance her out. Whereas Diana coordinated her actions to a degree of extreme thoughtfulness, Akko was impulsive and brash. A girl from a non-magical background who, through sheer will and the power of belief, was able to conquer tasks that should have been far outside of her abilities. It was she who received Woodward's blessing, she who unlocked the Seven Words of Arcturus to wield the Claiomh Solais and break the seal of the Grand Triskellion. All, of which, even the likes of Diana, heiress to the House of Cavendish, descendant of the Nine Olde Witch Beatrix, had not been able to accomplish. And not for lack of trying.

Second, Diana had experienced a level of harmony with Akko unlike anything she had felt before. Even thinking about it was enough to make the usually composed witch pause with a sharp intake of breath as she remembered the way their magic swirled within and throughout their bodies as they raised the bow of Claiomh Solais in the face of the Noir Missile. Her skin tingled at the very thought of their hands folding together, the charged feeling of magical energy pulsing through their bodies as if they were one. And, for a few moments, before the entire world, they were. She would be lying if she said she didn't want to experience that again.

The third reason was purely selfish. Over the past year, Diana had noticed along with everybody else that Akko was, well, lacking. Despite the Japanese witch's best efforts and incredible feats, she was still far behind the rest of the class when it came to harnessing control over her magical skill. She had plenty of potential, Diana herself had _felt_ that, but she was absolutely clueless when it came to the matter of applying intellect to her own abilities.

And, so, Diana had taken it upon herself to make one Atsuko Kagari her own special project. Considering they both had the same unfortunate mishap at a young age and Diana was able to overcome it, she thought that maybe she would be able to connect with Akko in a way that would make sense for the younger witch.

"That's absurd, Diana!" Hannah had proclaimed to Diana, who had announced her intentions when Hannah and Barbara had inquired as to why she had chosen Akko, of all people, to be her partner.

Barbara shook her head in disbelief. "Diana, you can't be serious. She's a complete idiot!"

"She's going to bring your grades down," Hannah added.

"You're going to be doing all the work," Barbara said.

"It's like babysitting."

"She can't even fly a broom."

"Remember when she flushed Professor Pisces?"

"Ha, yeah, and-"

Diana cleared her throat. "Enough." She raised her hand to silence the two girls. Turning away from her two roommates, she began organizing her books on her desk. "I chose Akko for a reason, and I intend to honor that. I have full faith in her abilities to excel in this particular assignment."

Hannah and Barbara snickered.

"That would call for Akko to have—" A pointed glare from Diana resulted in Barbara's voice trailing off. "—ability."

But now, after the events of that afternoon, Diana couldn't help but admit that she, once again, as per usual when it came to Akko, had her doubts.

So, as she patrolled the dimly lit halls of Luna Nova, she was contemplating her next step to get Akko where she needed to be for the quickly upcoming assignment. She was so ingrained in her own thoughts, in fact, that she didn't even hear the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps until it was too late. As she began to round the corner to one of the more remote hallways of Luna Nova, somebody slammed right into her. The force of the impact sent her flying backwards, only to have the full weight of the perpetrator land right on top of her.

The familiar tingle sweeping through her nervous system gave Diana a sharp intake of breath. She didn't have to see the brunette hair, the disheveled uniform, or the wide grin to know exactly who it was.

"Akko?"

"Oh, Diana!" Akko raised her head to find her face mere inches from Diana's. "I was looking for you!"

The weight of the other witch was pressing heavily on Diana's chest, causing her lungs to put in extra effort to catch a breath. "Akko, if you would please—" she huffed, feeling a blush creeping into her cheeks at the realization of their close proximity, "—remove yourself? I cannot breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Akko launched backwards, quickly standing and rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish grin. The moonlight from the large windows cast a glow across the side of her face. "My bad." She shoved her hand out to help Diana up.

Diana eyed the outstretched hand, considering with a hitched breath before ultimately pushing herself up, unwilling for the feeling that seemed to cause a loss of composure to return. Dusting off her uniform, she cleared her throat and brought her gaze to Akko. "Akko, may I ask what you're doing? You know very well that it is past curfew."

"Oh, it is?" Akko asked, bringing her hand to her chin in thought, looking completely unperturbed by the punishable offense Diana had just pointed out. "Well, like I said, I was looking for you, actually. I, uh, wanted to talk to you."

Diana breathed a deep sigh, one hand drifting to her side to ensure that her wand was unharmed in the collision. "And this could not wait for a more… _suitable_ … hour?" She quirked a brow.

"Well." Akko's eyebrows scrunched together as though she was deep in thought. "Eh heh, I guess it could have."

If her eyes could have rolled back into her skull, that's where they would have been. Diana crossed her arms over her chest, blue eyes meeting red as she stared at Akko. "Well, I suppose since you have already broken one of Luna Nova's policies, you may as well continue with your intentions so that your future punishment is not for a fruitless endeavor."

"Great!" Akko exclaimed, her lips spreading wider as her face lit up, before rapidly falling in confusion. "Wait, you're not going to tell on me, are you? Aw, c'mon, Diana! I'm here for _you._ "

"Nevertheless, you have broken a rule that I am entrusted to uphold." Diana pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Although, I suppose that remains to be seen," she added with a defeated sigh.

The corner of Akko's mouth quirked back up in a knowing smile. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about earlier today," she said. "I'm really sorry I didn't study and didn't know what to do with that dragon."

"Ice Wyvern," Diana corrected. "And your apology is misplaced. Your inaction will only cause harm to yourself."

"Yeah, but your grade is on the line, too." Akko acknowledged, looking down as she twisted a shoe on the stone floor. "Sucy gave me an idea that I think might work."

"Sucy?" Diana raised an eyebrow. "You are going to place your trust in a girl who sneaks experimental potions into your morning juice?"

"Well, yeah," Akko said with a shrug, bringing her eyes back up to meet Diana's. "Why not?"

Diana shook her head in disbelief. "I am perfectly happy to hear what you have to tell me, but now is not the time, Akko. Let's plan to meet at a more reasonable hour. Say, perhaps, when you _aren't_ breaking the rules?"

"Okay," Akko said, chuckling and scratching the back of her neck. "I guess that makes sense. Are you going to tell on me? I _really_ don't want to do the laundry again."

"Tell on who?" Diana asked, raising the corner of her mouth in what she hoped was the tiniest bit reassuring. "I can't tell on someone I have not seen."

"But you saw—" Akko's face scrunched in confusion before her eyes slowly widened. "Ohhh. Right. Okay, thanks, Diana!"

Diana sighed deeply, shaking her hand and watching as Akko disappeared the way that she had come. If nothing else, that girl was going to be the downfall of Diana's unrivaled patience.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes from the Author**

By the way, did I mention this was going to be a slow burn?

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 _The Tapestry of Beatrix_

Blytonbury was usually busy on the weekends, but on that particular Saturday, the small town was absolutely bustling.

Finding a table for six at the Last Wednesday Society hadn't been feasible, so the Red and Green Teams found themselves squeezed together at a small table as they sipped their tea and shoveled pastries into their mouths. With a full day ahead of them, the six friends were planning exactly where they wanted to go.

"The book shop, of course!" Lotte was saying to Jasminka, who was hardly listening as she feasted contentedly on a glazed pastry. "The new Night Fall came out yesterday and I can't _wait_ to see how Edgar—"

"Lotte, _please_ ," Amanda groaned, rolling her eyes and running a hand through a shock of orange hair. "I am so sick of hearing about Night Fall."

"The Alchemy shop just got the shipment of rare mushrooms I ordered," Sucy said, mouth spread into a wide grin as she rubbed her hands together. "I'll be able to make so many new potions to test on Akko later. There's one I'm _particularly_ excited about where her fingers will uncontrollably start—"

"Miss Constanze will be paying a visit to the technology store," Stanbot piped up before Sucy could finish. "There is some equipment that is vital for the advancement of our new automated note-taking device."

"Akko, do you have anything fun planned for today?" Lotte asked, directing her gaze at her roommate, who was balancing her chair on two legs and looked lost in thought.

"Not really—" Akko started. But, before she could finish, a sharp voice cut in from behind her that caused her to lose her balance and go crashing backwards.

"Lotte!" Barbara squealed, ignoring Akko's groans and rushing over to the Finnish witch with uncontrolled enthusiasm. "Tell me you're getting the new Night Fall today!"

Amanda let her forehead crash onto the table, causing the teacups to rattle with the impact. "Not _again_ ," she moaned. "By the Nine, have mercy."

"I _know_ ," Hannah grumbled, grabbing a chair that had recently been left unoccupied and pulling it up next to Amanda. "I've been hearing about it non-stop all morning!"

Apologizing to a family at the table behind her, Akko clambered to her feet. "Geez," she said, wincing and rubbing the back of her head. "You sure know how to make an entrance."

"I apologize on Barbara's behalf," came the familiar voice of Diana Cavendish. She stepped up to the table, taking a sip from her teacup and claiming a seat in an empty chair. "She seems to be unable to control herself this morning," she added, shooting a pointed glare at Barbara.

Barbara tossed her hand dismissively at Diana without a break in her excited conversation with Lotte.

"And what do you have planned for the day, Diana?" Amanda asked with a sneer, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "Is there anything in a pauper town like this that would appeal to an heiress such as yourself?"

If the slight bothered her, Diana didn't let it show. She set her teacup gently down on its saucer, raising her eyes to meet the devious smile of the American witch. "There is a new exhibit in the Magical History Museum that appeals to me. I was planning a visit."

Sucy smirked at Akko, who was dunking a pastry into her tea. Strawberry glaze coated the witch's lips as she haphazardly shoveled the tart into her mouth. "You should take Akko. She has no plans today."

Diana shrugged. "That would be fine."

"Whergh?" Akko garbled around her full mouth before swallowing hard. "What?" she repeated. "Why would I want to go to a boring old—"

Sucy's foot slamming down on Akko's under the table quickly cut off her sentence.

"Ow! What was—"

Akko realized that the table had grown silent and looked around to find the eyes of every single other witch on her. Quirked eyebrows from Lotte quickly reminded her of the Defensive Magic project and the necessity to work cohesively with Diana, which required… getting along.

Akko let out a loud groan.

"Fine," she grumbled, rolling her eyes and sighing. "I'll go."

* * *

"Museums would be a lot better if there was stuff to _do_ ," Akko whined, peeling her eyes away from a rusted wand from the 9th century (which Akko was convinced was just a stick someone found in the Arcturus Forest) to stomp around the dimly lit, and much too quiet, museum exhibit.

"There is much to do, Akko," Diana said, moving away from studying a particularly boring (in Akko's opinion) display. "And please, conduct yourself in a manner that isn't disruptive to other visitors."

" _What_ other visitors?" Akko exclaimed, waving around at the completely empty building for emphasis. "We're the only ones here! Everyone else is out having fun!" Disgruntled, she trailed after the taller witch toward the new exhibit that Diana had expressed interest in.

Diana pursed her lips, not bothering to respond to Akko as she stepped into the dimly room. A large banner, hanging from the back wall where branches from a model Jennifer tree snaked around it, read:

 _THE NINE OLDE WITCHES_

Diana seemed to know exactly where she wanted to go. Much to Akko's surprise, she ignored the other displays and walked right past them.

Akko followed her as she snaked through wide passages to a final room, where she finally came to a stop before a particularly familiar looking tapestry.

"Wait." Akko's eyes widened as her gaze trailed over the scene of the tapestry. The familiar blonde witch, reaching toward the stark white unicorn atop the comforting branches of a large tree. "Is that—"

"Yes," Diana confirmed, crossing her arms over her chest and eyeing the artifact with a distinct look of pride. "The Tapestry of Beatrix."

"But, Diana," Akko started, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion as she turned to face the other witch. "I thought—but your Aunt tried to—"

"I'm aware," Diana said. She knew that Akko was referring to the night where, over dinner, Aunt Daryl had tried to sell some of the most beloved artifacts of the House of Cavendish to the Hanbridges. She remembered the rage that had welled inside her at the shameful display of desperation, and, along with it, the outburst from Akko when she realized the effect that Aunt Daryl's actions were having on Diana. Though the night had been frustrating and, above all else, embarrassing, she recalled the memory fondly as one of the first times Akko had spoken up on her behalf. An action that, along with the events that occurred during the Venusian eclipse, had jump-started what Diana would even come to acknowledge as a friendship.

"Why is it here?" she heard Akko ask.

"I donated it." Diana's answer was simple. Upon seeing the confusion still glinting in Akko's red eyes, she chose to elaborate. "The Tapestry of Beatrix is a crucial artifact that deserves to be shared with the entirety of the magical community. I could no longer bear to see it neglected."

"Oh." Akko nodded as though placated, turning back to the tapestry. "That was nice of you."

Diana shrugged, though Akko could see the hint of a smile flash across her lips at the comment. "It's not about being nice, Akko, but merely preservation of history and tradition. Though," she pointed to the plaque that read _THE TAPESTRY OF BEATRIX CAVENDISH_ , _donated by the House of Cavendish, c.657_ , "The actual year was 658, the year after the death of Beatrix, so this seems to be an error. I was under the assumption I provided that documentation. I will have to see Madam Mensch regarding the correction."

Akko shifted, expecting Diana to move away, but the taller girl didn't move. She stood still, eyes trained on the artifact before her, expression solemn. She looked… almost… _sad_?

"Um, Diana?"

"Yes, Akko?"

Akko twirled a lock of hair between her fingers, gaze lingering on the side of Diana's face. "Is everything alright?"

A soft sigh slipped through Diana's slightly parted lips. "Everything is fine," she said, cool blue eyes locking onto Akko's crimson. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, as though she was about to say something, before finally adding, "Nothing to be concerned about." Though, the statement almost seemed like a reassurance to herself instead of Akko. She turned back to the tapestry.

Akko offered a small nod, shoving her hands into the pockets of her robe as she turned to stare at the portrayal of Beatrix's gentle demeanor. Though difficult, Akko had come to understand Diana's need for privacy. But even if she wasn't privy to whatever was on Diana's mind, she could still keep her friend company.

So they stood, silent as each of them relaxed into vastly different memories, both well aware of the feeling of static coursing between their bodies at the proximity of their magic.

A sensation that had become all too familiar, but not at all a discomfort.

* * *

"Oh, girls!"

The familiar voice made Akko look up from the enormous ice cream cone that she'd been warring with for the past few minutes. Following their visit to the museum (which was brief, by Diana's standards, yet an excruciating amount of time for Akko), Diana had allowed herself to be dragged to the ice cream parlor, where they were waiting for the rest of the Red, Blue, and Green Teams to arrive.

And where Akko had gotten quite possibly the _largest_ ice cream cone that she had ever seen a single individual take on by themselves.

"Honestly, Akko, have you no self-control?" Diana had asked as she ordered herself a single scoop in a cup.

Akko had merely shrugged and immediately got to work on the cone that would even rival what Diana imagined Jasminka would order. Diana could only watch with a vague tug of entertainment as Akko swiped her tongue around the edge of the waffle cone in a desperate battle to keep the melting treat at bay.

Which was exactly the scene that was playing out when the two witches looked up to see Professor Ursula approaching them. Her hands were full of bags from different shops, flustered blush of exhaustion dusting her cheeks as she dropped her wares at their table with a huff. She flashed her characteristically friendly smile. "I've been looking for the two of you!" she exclaimed. "I've been so busy grading coursework that I haven't found the time during the school week."

"Professor Ursula." Diana gave her a curt nod, setting her ice cream down on the table. Professor Ursula had, once again, taken on the appearance of the meek teacher that she had always been. The flaming red hair that had coined her as Shiny Chariot was gone, replaced by the soft blue from before. Though Diana, Akko, and a handful of others now knew the secret she had withheld during her time at Luna Nova, the larger population of the school was still completely unaware.

Akko had halted her voracious attack on her ice cream cone. Pink and white blended together as it melted down over her knuckles. Though the other witch had tried to hide it, Diana caught a glimpse of the uneasy expression that slid over her face like a shadow. Akko rarely spoke of Shiny Chariot and the heartbreaking realization that she had come to the year before, and Diana could tell that it still gave the other girl misgivings. Diana, too, wasn't sure how to feel. She recalled the night she found Akko sitting in the snow in Blytonbury, how the usual ferocity had drained from the witch's very being at the knowledge that her role model, her childhood idol, had harmed her in a way that she could never have imagined.

Diana felt her jaw clench.

"What's up, Professior Char—uh, Ursula?" Akko asked in her usual friendly lilt, returning to her ice cream and ignoring the fact that it was dripping from her hand and onto the table.

"I've been meaning to speak to you about a certain event that Sam—er, Professor Badcock brought up in a staff meeting," Ursula started, her eyebrows pushed together in concern as she flicked her gaze between Akko and Diana. "I heard that the two of you had a bit of an outburst in her Defensive Magic class last week."

Diana hardly considered her words to Akko an outburst considering she had never lost her composure. But did the whole staff _really_ have to know what had taken place between them? Granted, it was in front of an entire class of students, but…

"I suppose to could say that," Diana finally said after an uncomfortable silence.

Akko shot a sideways glance at Diana. "It was my fault," she said quickly. "I didn't listen to Diana. We've talked about it."

"It was my fault as well," Diana said.

Akko's mouth dropped open as she stared at Diana. A few drops of ice cream dripped over her lips and down her chin. "What?"

Diana shrugged. "It was a team effort," she said, directing her attention back to Professor Ursula. "And, as such, there is a mutual responsibility."

"Alright, well, as long as you girls are on the same page," Professor Ursula said with a genuine smile.

"I wouldn't go that far," Akko grumbled.

Professor Ursula chuckled. "Well, after the staff meeting, I went ahead and reserved the two of you a practical exercise room so you can exercise your magic and work together outside of, well, a situation of impending doom. I know they're in high demand with finals coming up, and, last minute, well—" She looked down, fiddling with her sleeves, and added, "It's the least I could do—"

"Thank you." Diana cut Professor Ursula off, noticing the darkness that flashed across Akko's face. "We certainly appreciate it."

"Thank you, Professor Ursula," Akko added, quickly recovering and letting her ice cream covered lips spread into an easy smile. "That was nice of you." Her attention strayed down the road, where a group of laughing and joking girls were headed in their direction. "Anyway, um…"

Professor Ursula nodded in understanding, gathering her bags. She couldn't fault Akko's hesitation. There was a lot that would have to be done on her own part to fully mend the relationship between them. "Have a wonderful weekend, girls," she said, giving the two a look that she hoped expressed the intentions of her actions.

As she walked away, she could hear Diana scolding Akko.

"Honestly, Akko, please use a napkin. You have gotten that all over everything."

Though, there was a different tone in her voice. One that wasn't as harsh as it usually was when she corrected other students, or pointed out behavior that she didn't find appropriate for a student of Luna Nova. It sounded almost like… compassion?

Professor Ursula turned to glance briefly at the two witches who were being joined by their group of friends. And she swore, for one small moment, she saw Diana look at Akko with a ghost of a smile that she knew all too well.

It was the same look that Croix Meridies had once, years ago, given her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes from the Author**

Yeah, so, remember that M rating?

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 _Distraction_

"By the Nine!" Lotte exclaimed, letting out a long sigh as she slammed her new Night Fall book shut and tossed it onto her pillow. "I didn't expect an ending like _that_! I sure hope Annabel gets the next installment out soon." Dark half-moons had developed beneath the Finnish witch's eyes. Her strawberry blonde hair stuck out in nearly every direction, thick glasses askew on her small nose.

She had read _the entire_ night. Sucy managed to sleep soundly with her earbuds in, but Akko could hardly get any rest with all the reactionary noises that Lotte kept making. She had even listened to her cry for an hour.

"I can't wait to see what Barbara thought about it!" she added with a squeal.

"Uh-huh," Sucy mumbled, narrowing her eyes as she poured a small test tube of fluid into a beaker sitting on a hot plate. The combination of the two liquids began to fizz wildly together. "I am definitely not sick of hearing about Night Fall. Please continue."

"I know when you're being sarcastic, _Sucy_ ," Lotte huffed, turning on her bed to let her legs dangle off the edge. "It's not my fault that you don't know good literature. What are you making, by the way?"

"Hallucinogen," Sucy muttered. "It's processed through skin absorption. All it takes is a single drop." She dipped her eyedropper into the beaker and drew a tiny amount of the purple liquid. "Want to try it, Lotte?"

Lotte narrowed her eyes. "What's it make you hallucinate?"

"Not sure."

"Then no."

Sucy shrugged. "Akko?"

"Nandeshou?" Akko mumbled from her bottom bunk, not bothering to look up from the manga she'd been staring at for quite some time.

"English," both Lotte and Sucy groaned simultaneously.

"Oh, sorry," Akko said, finally glancing up to find Sucy staring at her, sharp teeth flashing in a devious smile. Though Akko hadn't been paying enough attention to know what was going on, she could tell Sucy was up to something. She always had the same look. "Whatever you asked, definitely _not_."

"What are you even doing?" Sucy asked, narrowing her eyes at her roommate. "I haven't seen you move in forever. I've been wondering if you were even still breathing. You're lucky I even asked, I could have just put a drop on your hand without you even realizing with how zoned out you've been."

Lotte hummed. "She has been awfully quiet for Akko," she said as though the Japanese witch wasn't even in the room. She hopped down from her bunk and threw herself onto Sucy's bed to stare at Akko.

"I'm reading," Akko grumbled, raising her manga in emphasis. "As you can see."

"You haven't even turned the page in an hour," Sucy pointed out. "Don't argue," she added when Akko opened her mouth to protest. "I noticed. It can't possibly be that you're thinking. You don't know how to do that."

"Sucy," Lotte reprimanded. "Akko, is everything okay?"

"Of course," Akko said, squinting her eyes at Sucy and Lotte. "Everything is great."

Both of the other witches looked unconvinced.

"I probably just fell asleep with my eyes open," Akko groaned, rolling over onto her back and stretching her arms across her head, at the same time carelessly knocking her manga onto the ground.

"Whatever then." Sucy shrugged. "No skin off my back."

"As long as you're sure, Akko," Lotte said. "Well, I'm going to go find Barbara. I hope she's finished! I can't wait to get her theory for the next book."

As the door closed quietly behind Lotte, Sucy grew silent and returned her attention to her desk, carefully organizing her ingredients and monitoring the sizzling potion.

Akko turned her head to stare at her Shiny Chariot poster. She hadn't lied. Nothing was wrong. In fact, she felt pretty _good._

She reached out with her hand, idly tracing the letters as she let herself, once again, become lost in thought over a certain blonde witch, as she found happening more and more often. Ever since the two soared through space to defeat the Noir Missile, Diana had seemed… _different_ … to Akko.

And it was most certainly not a bad kind of different.

* * *

"Akko, please," Diana said with an exasperated sigh. "Listen to me, for once."

"What do you mean?" Akko blinked up at Diana, lowering her wand back to her side. "I'm doing everything that you told me to do."

Diana circled Akko, peering at the Japanese witch's form with the scrutinizing eye of an expert. "Feet shoulder width apart, but make sure your dominant foot is pointed in the direction of your casting. Focus on the target," she waved her hand at an old book that she had poised on the back of a chair. "Square your shoulders. No, not to the side, you are to twist your entire upper body in the direction that your spell is aimed. Right, like that."

Akko froze exactly like Diana indicated, peering at the taller witch as her muscles quivered. "Uh, this?" she questioned with a meek smile.

"Exactly. Now cast. But, please, Akko, focus."

Akko took a deep breath, brought her wand back toward her body, and then flung it toward the book in an exaggerated motion that made Diana wince.

" _Murowa_!"

She felt the magic flow into the wand, but it was weak. A spark of green darted through the shaft of her wand before fizzling out at the tip. Frustrated, Akko brought the wand back and tried again. And again. And again. Still, nothing happened.

" _Murowa, Murowa, Murowa_!" She stamped her foot in impatience. "Diana, it's not working," she whined. "I'm doing everything that you told me to do!" She dropped the wand to her side and pouted at her study partner.

Diana shook her head, allowing a small chuckle to escape her lips as she crossed her arms across her body. "This is exactly why we are practicing. Would you prefer to go back to the books?" She tapped her index finger against her bicep. "Or continue practical exercise?"

"I'm tired of _both_ ," Akko moaned. "Can we please just take a break?"

Diana directed her gaze to the large grandfather clock that adorned one wall of the empty practice room that Professor Ursula had reserved for them. It _had_ been well over an hour since they'd taken their last break. "I suppose," she agreed. "But only for a couple of minutes. I don't have all night. I have my own studies."

Akko let her shoulders droop as she let out a long sigh. "Finally. This is making me sore." She threw herself into the nearest chair in dramatic fashion. "Tell me you don't do this _all_ the time."

Diana shrugged, taking a seat at the table across from Akko. "Not all the time," she said. "But frequently enough. Magic may be innate, but the art of spellcasting is not. One must continually practice to maintain optimum results."

Akko groaned, letting her forehead hit the hard wood of the table in front of them. "You're _insane_ ," she grumbled. "There are a million things I'd rather be doing."

"Oh?" Diana raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair and letting her unsettling blue eyes fall on the top of Akko's head. "Indulge me, then."

Akko sat up, staring at Diana with lips slightly ajar to gauge whether or not the other witch was serious. Upon receiving no hints otherwise, she launched into her spiel while ticking off her fingers. "Well, eating, for one. Hanging out with Lotte and Sucy. Sleeping. Playing with my Shiny Chariot cards. Trying to ride my broomstick." She drew a deep breath and continued. "Reliving the Samhain Festival, riding on the back of that Cockatrice, being devoured by a Basilisk-"

Diana sighed, raising her hand in a signal for Akko to stop. "That's enough, Akko. However, I highly doubt that you would rather be eaten by a Basilisk than practice your spellcasting. Speaking of which, what is the Basilisk's greatest weakness?"

"Greatest... weakness?" Akko narrowed her eyes at Diana, scrunching her eyebrows together in thought. "Uh, I know this." She hesitated, sorting her brain to try to find the correct answer to the impromptu quiz. "It's, uh, got something to do with a rat-"

"Go on," Diana said. Was she smirking? Though the corners of her lips quirked upwards, Diana showed no emotion behind her cold blue eyes. "You're on the right track."

"Uh, the rat farts, or... something," Akko finishes.

Diana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "Not quite, Akko. However, the general idea is the same. A strong gas otherwise known as effluvium is used to kill the Basilisk. It is most commonly found in the weasel, though, yes, rats are also known to emit such a gas. However, the amount in which they do so would not be sufficient to defeat or even deter a mature Basilisk."

Akko nodded confidently. "See? I've been studying!"

"I believe you." Diana rose, striding to the front of the unused classroom to glance through the Defensive Magic text she had placed on a dusty podium that sat against the far wall. She cleared her throat.

"The only confirmed weakness of a Basilisk is effluvium, which is a noxious odor emitted from certain mammalian species when threatened, most notably the weasel. Upon inhalation of the effluvium, the central nervous system of the Basilisk will slowly deteriorate. This will result in the paralysis of the Basilisk or, more commonly, death."

Akko yawned and leaned back against her chair, stretching her arms out above her head. "Yeah, yeah. See? I studied."

Diana couldn't argue. If Akko had not studied, the resulting answer would have been so outlandish it would have been obvious. However, a ballpark guess did show her that Akko at least opened her textbook to that page at one point in time.

"That's enough of a break," she said, shutting the book and returning her gaze to Akko's. The Japanese witch's brunette locks were falling wildly around her face, a few strands of her trademark bangs plastered to her sweaty forehead. At least Akko was putting in enough effort for it to reflect physically. That was reassuring.

Grumbling, Akko slid out of her chair and meandered back to the circle Diana had drawn in chalk on the concrete floor. She focused her gaze on the book she had been attempting to attack for the evening and resumed her posture, raising her wand.

"No," Diana said immediately. She strode to Akko, shaking her head. "Wrong. Like I said, feet shoulder width apart. Akko, which is your dominant foot?"

Akko stomped her right foot on the ground in emphasis.

"This one needs to be leading, then." Diana grabbed Akko's leg, pausing as the familiar shock ran through her system. She grit her teeth together and powered through it, pushing against the limb until Akko took the hint and moved it to the front, readjusting her posture. "Toes forward," Diana said, gently tapping at Akko's foot with her own until the girl changed her angle.

"Square shoulders," Diana continued, placing her hands gently on Akko's shoulders and inhaling sharply as she rotated the girl's upper body. "Exactly."

She stood back, ignoring the conflicted look that had etched its way across Akko's face as she studied the witch's poise. "Straighten your back. Right, like that. You have to carry yourself with the utmost confidence, Akko. Remember, a successful spell never leaves the wand of a timid witch."

Akko nodded, tensing her jaw in acknowledgment. She turned her head away from Diana and drew a slow breath as she raised her wand and-

"Wait, no." Diana halted Akko's arm from moving forward with her own hand, feeling Akko's muscles tense beneath her grip. "I believe I understand, now. The rotation here is all wrong."

"Wrong?" Akko narrowed her eyes and glanced at Diana.

"Yes." Diana came up behind Akko, her hand never leaving the girl's arm. "You're much too impulsive. Spellcasting is all about poise and control, Akko. You must be aware of your every movement. You have to feel the magic transfer."

Sidling up behind Akko, she held her breath as she drew the girl's arm back before pressing it forward in the same controlled motion that she herself used.

Akko tensed. She could feel Diana's warm breath against her neck, tickling at a few strands of hair near her ears. A familiar spark ran through her body as their magic wavered at the proximity. Magic transfer. She could feel it, though she knew it wasn't the type of transfer Diana was referring to.

Akko could feel the heat flooding into her face. "Um, Diana, I think I've got it," she said after a moment, swallowing hard at the feeling of Diana's body pressed against her own.

Diana stepped away as though she'd been shocked, grateful that Akko couldn't see the warm blush dusting her cheeks. "Cast the spell," she muttered, tensing her jaw and struggling to maintain her poise. As always, the feeling of Akko's magic had thrown her center of gravity completely. She shook her head in an attempt to gain back her own cognition.

Akko, taking a deep breath, flicked her wand in the exact way that Diana had shown her and shouted, " _Murowa_!"

Green light emerged from the tips of her fingers and pulsed down the shaft of the wand. But, instead of erupting into action like Diana's had against the Wyvern, the spell only sprayed from the tip in a few short bursts.

Akko sighed, lowering her arm. "It's not happening," she mumbled. "I suck."

"Akko." Diana shook her head, stepping forward. "You do not 'suck'. You have accomplished many a great thing in your short career as a witch, I am confident that you can execute a spell as simple as this. You merely aren't focused. A spell with the intended outcome such as this requires complete immersion. Your mind is elsewhere."

Of course it was. "Well, yeah." Akko lied easily, rubbing her stomach. "I'm hungry."

Diana rolled her eyes, stepping to the table to begin shoving books into her bag. "Look, Akko, I have some actual studying to complete. Maybe you should have increased your portion at supper. Either way, if you do _not_ want to learn, there is not much that I can accomplish here. I suggest you return to your dormitory before curfew. I cannot guarantee a free pass, were I to theoretically find you in the halls again."

Before Akko could even reply, Diana had shrugged her bag over her shoulder and stormed from the room.

"But," Akko said, lowering her eyes to where Diana had previously stood to help guide her body into the correct position, "I _do_ want to learn."

* * *

Often, Diana's mind floated back to that day.

All too well, she remembered Akko's arms wrapped around her waist as the two propelled into space, chasing the Noir Missile that Professor Croix had created, their intent to save the destruction of an entire country. She remembered Akko's voice as she thanked each member of the Nine New Witches as they provided their own individual assistance and took their leave to let Diana and Akko proceed onward.

Diana paused, her highlighter poised over a section of her Magical Numerology notebook that she found particularly important for the upcoming end-of-term exams. However, instead of highlighting, she straightened her back and took a tentative sip of her lukewarm tea as a familiar warmth coursed through her body.

The memory pervaded her thoughts, as it did often.

She remembered, very well in fact, the adrenaline of the chase after the Noir Missile, the skipping of her heartbeat as she watched Akko perform the metamorphosis spell in an attempt to defeat the mass of unsupervised technology that was the missile. She recalled tumbling from the sky, readying herself for impact and the prospect of death when Akko had reached a hand out and grabbed her while maneuvering the uncontrollable broomstick known as the Shooting Star.

But, most of all, she remembered the magic. The connection.

How it had pulsed through their bodies. How it had surged between them, weakening their limbs, tapping into their nerves to make their skin tingle with anticipation. While they had been resolute at the time in the face of danger, Diana all too well remembered the sensation that was Akko's magic, that was Akko's inner being.

She took another sip of her tea, letting her gaze settle on the rim of her cup as she drew a sharp breath. She could hear the gentle snoring of Barbara and the quiet mumbling of Hannah as they slept. Diana had to admit that it was late. Retiring would probably be the best idea; exhaustion was of no benefit to a prospective witch and the onslaught of exams that loomed on the horizon.

She closed her books and switched off her desk lamp, polishing off the remainder of her tea with a large gulp before stretching and climbing beneath the covers of her comfortable bed. She squeezed her eyes shut, determined to drift off.

But sleep didn't come. Her mind wandered.

Diana recalled the sensation of her body pressed against Akko's as she guided the other witch's arms in the correct rotation to successfully cast the Murowa spell. She remembered the flow of energy between the two, their magical auras struggling to connect as though peering at one another through a glass window. She had felt her own magic straining to reach Akko's, determined to connect in the same level of harmony that they had previously achieved. The simple act had distracted her to such a degree that she'd had to excuse herself.

Her mind pictured their hands, interlinked, as they stood atop the Shooting Star and pulled back the string of the Claiomh Solais to fire an arrow into the Noir Missile. The bright green magic swirling between their bodies, penetrating their minds, souls, their very _cores_ before ejecting in the form of a devastating Shiny Arc.

She knew Akko had to feel it too.

Her hand was wandering, tracing across the soft skin of her abdomen as she inhaled deeply and recalled the torrent of magic, rushing in a desperate attempt to escape from its confines by whatever means possible. She tilted her head back, a soft gasp escaping her dry lips. But she made no noise. No, she remembered Hannah and Barbara were in the room, even if they were asleep. And she certainly did not want to be caught in an act that did not befit the heiress of the House of Cavendish.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes from the Author**

This story is a lot of fun to write so far, so I'm trying to get new chapters out pretty quickly.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 _The Red Sigil_

"Why's it have to be raining?" Akko whined as she stared through the massive windows that ran along the outer wall of the cafeteria. Dark clouds had nestled over Luna Nova, rain pounding a steady rhythm against the glass. The wind whistled through the building as it drafted between the crevices of the school. "I was looking forward to flying today."

Lotte glanced up from a letter she'd received from her family in the morning mail. "Well, that's probably a good thing, Akko," she said. "You need to be studying anyway."

"You can't even fly," Sucy pointed out between thoughtful bites of her mushroom omelette. Her lavender hair cascaded across the side of her face as she stared blankly ahead. "The most you've done is hover for a few seconds."

Akko groaned, grabbing her fork to shovel a massive piece of French toast into her mouth. "Yeah, but today could have been the day!" she exclaimed, one full cheek puffed out like a chipmunk. "You never know!"

With Professor Nelson's flying class cancelled, Akko would be _forced_ to use that period for study hall, as per the syllabus. It was entirely unfair. There were so many other things she could have been doing. Napping, for example. She knew that she _needed_ to study, but the mere prospect of having her nose stuck in musty old books soured her mood.

"Man, this sucks," Amanda said as she plopped down in the chair beside Akko, looking equally disappointed in the foul weather. Constanze and Jasminka were nowhere to be seen. "I just got a new broom that I wanted to try out, too. Hand carved in Canada. Can't find better wood, eh?" Her elbow gently nudged Akko's side.

Amanda chuckled at her own joke. Akko choked on the sip of orange juice that she'd just taken and nearly spit it back into the cup.

Lotte simply blinked up at the American witch, eyebrows twisted in confusion. Sucy ignored everything.

"Amanda!" Akko said between coughs, face flushing furiously.

"Sorry." Amanda smirked, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands behind her head. "Got to take 'em as I see 'em."

A flash of wavy blonde hair drew Akko's attention away from the table. She watched as Diana, flanked by a chattering Hannah and Barbara, claimed an empty table across the cafeteria to eat their breakfasts.

Diana was completely ignoring her two teammates. Instead, she looked lost in thought, staring out the window to watch the steady rain as she ate. Her expression showed little emotion, but Akko couldn't help but notice that it kind of resembled the look she'd had at the museum in front of the Tapestry of Beatrix.

Akko chewed slowly, mind wandering to their one-on-one practice and the way Diana's breath had tickled her neck, the warmth of the other girl's hand on her arm as she guided Akko in the proper spellcasting motion. Thinking about it made the hair on her arms rise, as though even the mere memory of it ghosted Diana's touch against her skin.

With a start, she saw that Diana was no longer looking out the window—instead, she was staring directly at… Akko. Their eyes met, and Diana quickly looked away and, wait, was she _blushing_?

Akko hadn't even realized that she'd frozen mid-chew. Her fork had slipped from between her fingers and clattered down onto the wooden table.

"Akko?"

Lotte's voice drew her back to her friends, to the three girls who were staring back at her.

"We've been talking to you for the last few minutes, have you heard _anything_?" Lotte asked.

Akko picked her fork back up, feeling the heat rise to her face as she glanced back at Diana, who had taken up an active conversation with Hannah and Barbara. "Umm…"

"Typical," Sucy muttered.

Amanda ran a hand through her wild hair, eyes following Akko's as a sudden realization drafted through her. She knew that look. She knew that look _very_ well, in fact. The corner of her lips crooked up in a knowing smirk.

She could have easily said something like she usually did. Embarrassed Akko. Made things awkward. Entertained herself. But, no, even though Amanda had a big mouth, she knew _exactly_ when to keep it shut.

* * *

Atop the observatory, Akko gazed out over the peaceful twilight of Luna Nova's grounds. The storm had finally broken, dark grey clouds giving way to the remnants of the day's sun. Off in the distance, pale orange rays cast an eerie glow across the canopy of the Arcturus Forest. Akko hunched her shoulders deeper into her robe as the cold, late autumn breeze bit through the material. She could feel the hair on her arms rising in response to the chill that ran through her body. She kicked her legs listlessly where they hung off the edge, peering down at the empty yard below.

Akko could openly admit that the observatory was one of her favorite places on campus. The view served as a warm reminder of her achievements, validated the friendships she'd made and the hardships that she had encountered on her path to become the best witch that she could be. The lack of traffic to the top of the observatory was a mere perk, granting Akko the alone time that she sometimes craved, the alone time that she couldn't find in the bustling halls of the school below.

The observatory also held the remnants of one her fondest memories. With it came the recollection of Diana, appearing atop the observatory with her broomstick in her hand, ready to depart Luna Nova forever to become the Head of her House. Had Akko not been there, she may not have had the impulse to follow after her, to bring her back from what she could only imagine would be a lonely existence in those dreary halls of her mansion with nobody but miss no-funny-business herself, Anna, an what Akko could only define as the world's worst aunt. But she had brought Diana back, mostly for the selfish reason that in order to be a great witch, she felt that she needed to have a great rival. Though, now, Diana had become more of a friend. The notion of rivals rarely crossed her mind any longer.

Akko nibbled passively on the plum tart she'd stolen from the cafeteria as her mind wandered into the memory of the trials that she, Sucy, and Lotte had faced on that very first day at Luna Nova. Sucy, whizzing around the Cockatrice's head in sheer determination to get the feather she needed, while Akko and Lotte were forced to serve as non-consensual bait. Though Akko could openly admit that what Sucy originally set out to do was _wrong,_ the recollection of meeting her two best friends pervaded that Sucy _had_ used her as a sacrifice.

Breaking free from her thoughts, she had started reciting the strengths and weaknesses to the most common magical creatures when something caught her eye from the direction of the forest.

"Hmm?"

Akko clambered to her feet, moving to the railing to stand on her toes and get a closer look.

A large red sigil had appeared at the edge of the forest closest to the Luna Nova Tower. As Akko watched on, the sigil seemed to glow brighter and brighter until she had to shield her eyes as though she was peering at the sun.

Almost as quickly as it had begun, the sigil disappeared entirely.

But the spot she was looking at still wasn't empty.

Five figures had appeared in place of the sigil, standing close together in a V formation. She couldn't see who they were. Black robes were completely covering any defining characteristics, hoods shielding any kind of facial features—not that Akko would have been able to see from the distance she was at, but the very outline of the figures made her stomach turn uncomfortably. She got the distinct feeling that something wasn't right.

At first, she thought that they may have had ill intentions for the Philosopher's Stone, which was still gripped tight at the top of the Luna Nova Tower despite being completely unnecessary following the events of the Grand Triskellion. But, as Akko looked on, she noticed that their bodies weren't even oriented in that direction. No, they were looking at something else. Something close to the school.

Leaning over the railing, Akko looked down.

It was hard to make much out from being so high up, but the thick blonde hair gave it away. Diana was patrolling the yard. They were watching her.

She glanced back up. Had they moved closer? Yes. They were moving. Towards Diana. Akko felt her adrenaline surge. Every fiber of her being was screaming that something was wrong. Their intentions were anything but benevolent. With her heart pounding in her throat, Akko bellowed out above the silent grounds of Luna Nova.

"Diana!"

She felt a hand slam hard against her back.

Akko had no time to think, no time to make a grab for anything before her stomach lurched and she found herself plummeting, head first, from the observatory.

She strained against the wind and gravity to reach her wand, to try to cast the metamorphosis spell, but the ground was coming fast, too fast, and she was going to hit it, she was going to—

Her entire body jerked uncomfortably as a hand snaked out of the air to grab her wrist.

Her eyes followed the pale hand that was clutching her with a grip so tight that she felt like her arm was going to burst. Diana. She'd taken flight and was pulling Akko up, back to the safety of the observatory. From where she hung, Akko could see Diana's jaw clenching, her gaze set straight ahead.

Akko felt her knee scrape against the hard stone as Diana released her arm and dropped her before landing with a huff. Akko could still feel her body quivering as though she was still plummeting through the air. Out of sorts, she clambered to her feet and tried to compose herself, ignoring the sting of her knee and the fresh blood that trickled down the front of her calf.

"Diana," she breathed, steadying herself on the rail. "Diana, are you okay?"

"Are __you__?" Diana whirled, knuckles white against her broomstick. "What do you think you are _doing_ , Akko?"

Akko reached up to rub the back of her neck. "They were coming for you, I was—they were—someone __pushed__ me," Akko said, remembering the flat palm that had struck her back and sent her flying over the edge.

Diana took a deep breath. "Akko, I saw you fall. You slipped. There is no one else here." She gestured around the empty observatory for emphasis. "No one but you, Akko. Past curfew. Again. With stolen goods from the cafeteria." She pointed out the half-eaten tart that Akko had dropped.

"No, Diana, there were—" she pointed to the edge of the Arcturus Forest, where the red sigil had appeared an, along with it, the five figures. The sky was rapidly darkening, but Akko knew that was where they had come from. Only… there wasn't anyone there. "I swear," she groaned. "There was this bright red glow, and these guys appeared and they were cloaked and they were—"

" _Akko_ ," Diana snapped. "There's no one there." She waved her hand in the direction of the Luna Nova Tower with the hand that still gripped her broomstick. "So either you're making up stories to get yourself out of trouble or you're seeing things that aren't there, and I'm not entirely certain which one is worse."

"But—" Akko could feel herself growing impatient with Diana's disbelief. "Diana, you were in danger!"

"The only thing I seemed to be in danger of was you falling on me from three hundred meters above," Diana stated, struggling to maintain a steady voice despite just nearly seeing Akko die, among other things.

Akko shook her head. "Diana, please," she pleaded, inhaling deeply. "Listen to me."

"No, you listen to me for once, __Atsuko Kagari__."

Ouch, __whole name__ treatment?

"You have, once again, in spite of my warnings, gone against the rules of Luna Nova and broken curfew. Along with that, you have _ _once again__ stolen from the cafeteria after hours. I have told you time and time again to get your act together. None of this reflects well on the school and _ _especially__ you as a student. Your lack of compliance not only shows complete disrespect for myself, but for Luna Nova." She tossed her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "And do you even __know__ what kind of danger you were just in? You're blowing it off as though it's just another day in the life of Akko. What would you have done if I hadn't been there? You don't have your broomstick and you certainly don't have the skill as a witch to even begin to know the spell to lessen your fall or shield yourself in the least bit." She looked away, across the grounds of Luna Nova, in the direction that the sigil had appeared. "You could have killed yourself, Akko. You _ _would__ have killed yourself."

 _Akko could have killed herself_ , she repeated in her head as she tried to steady her breath.

"I—but—" Her gaze followed Diana's to where the figures had emerged from the red sigil. Nothing. She couldn't even feel the fear that had gripped her before. No, they were gone. She turned her crimson eyes back to the witch in front of her.

"I may have saved you from death," Diana stated, shifting an icy blue stare back to Akko. "But I will most __certainly__ not save you from Headmistress Holbrooke."

* * *

"Miss Kagari. I see you find yourself here again."

Headmistress Holbrooke sighed deeply as she leaned against her heavy oak desk, setting her chin in her hand as she stared at the students before her. One bewildered and shifting, the other clearly annoyed, but composed. The smell of what Akko could only describe as musty books and old people stung her nostrils.

"I've told you," Akko said, not even bothering to hide the desperation in her voice. "There were these people and—somebody pushed me and—," she felt a heavy whine leave the back of her throat. "Why will nobody believe me? And besides," she added, "Diana was out there, too!"

Diana cut a sideways glance at Akko, brows furrowed. She said nothing, but kept her arms firmly folded across her chest.

"She was performing her duties as the evening monitor," Madame Holbrooke stated. "And as you heard, she informed us that there was nobody on the school grounds aside from yourself. I believe that Miss Cavendish would have detected these perpetrators, had they been there, or at the very least noticed the placement of a sigil, especially if it was as bright as you say it was. Miss Cavendish has shown herself to be quite adept at reading magical signatures." She tapped her quill against the stack of parchment that was Akko's disciplinary record, sighing once more. "But you. What are we ever going to do with you, Miss Kagari?"

"She has time and time again showed herself to not be worthy of Luna Nova attendance," Professor Finnelan said, glowering down her hooked nose at Akko from behind Madame Holbrooke's desk. "I believe it is about time we explored the option of expulsion."

"Expulsion?" Akko's eyes grew wide with disbelief. "You can't be serious? No one got hurt!"

"Someone could have very well gotten hurt," Professor Finnelan stated. "As Miss Cavendish tells us, yourself specifically."

Akko tilted her head back and rocked back onto her heels as she took a sharp breath of air. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't possibly be getting expelled for staying out past curfew or taking a tart, even if she had done it, well, multiple times.

"I hardly think that's necessary," Professor Ursula said as she stepped into the school counseling office, clearly fighting back sleep. She raised a closed fist to rub her bleary eyes before sliding her glasses onto her nose. "Akko has accomplished too much as a student here to be subject to that kind of punishment."

Thank the Nine. Akko let out a sigh of relief at Professor Ursula's appearance. Beside her, Diana let out her own breath that she'd been holding.

"I agree wholeheartedly with Professor Ursula," Madame Holbrooke said with a nod. "Imagine the headlines that would result from that outcome?" She stood and spread her palms out before her, as if displaying a banner. "Luna Nova Expels World Renowned Witch Who Stopped Missile." A small smile etched across her lips as she dropped her arms. "While it does seem that Miss Kagari will continually refuse to abide by Luna Nova policies, we can, at the very least, balance the disobedience out with a little bit of hard work."

Akko could feel Professor Finnelan still holding her in a stare that didn't bother to hide her detest for the student. She was wholly aware that if Finnelan had been the Headmistress, she would have been expelled long ago.

"You can join Miss O'Neill in her dish duties this upcoming week," Headmistress Holbrooke said.

Diana hummed at Akko's side, nodding in agreeance.

"The _dishes_?" Akko groaned, bringing her hands up to her face. "You mean the dirty dishes for the _entire school_?"

"I mean precisely that," Headmistress Holbrooke confirmed.

Akko felt a growl rise from the back of her throat.

"Now, Akko, this is a light punishment," Professor Ursula pointed out. "You broke not one but two school rules, both of which you've broken previously. Take it as a learning point."

Akko visibly deflated. "Yeah, learning how gross everyone in the school is," she grumbled.

Ignoring Akko's comment, Madame Holbrooke leveled her gaze at Diana. "Now, Miss Cavendish. I would like you to oversee both Miss Kagari and Miss O'Neill in their duties. Now, please, both if you see yourselves off to bed. The hour is late."

Diana opened her mouth and then shut it, disdain leaving as quickly as it came. "Yes, Headmistress Holbrooke," she replied.

As the two stepped from the counseling office, Akko could hear the angry voice of Professor Finnelan rising from behind the heavy wooden door that they quietly shut behind them. An air of discomfort bounced between herself and Diana.

"Diana—" Akko started, still determined to get the other girl to believe her. Or, at least, _start_ to believe her.

"Akko." Diana raised her hand, keeping her gaze locked firmly ahead. "Please. I no longer wish to hear about it. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She watched as Diana quickened her stride and disappeared down the stone staircase that would lead to the second floor dormitories.

Akko _had_ seen the sigil. She _had_ seen the figures. And she _had_ felt a hand push her from behind. There was no way she had imagined all of that. And, if there was a danger, or even the possibility of one, why was nobody taking her seriously?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes from the Author**

Had to stay up late to churn this one out before the weekend so I can spend time with my wife. I'm looking forward to tackling a bunch more of this plot in the upcoming week.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 _Ancient Magical Cults_

"Maybe it was just a trick of the sun, Akko," Lotte offered. Akko had just relayed the entire events of the evening, leaving out no details. Well, except for the part where she snuck into the cafeteria to steal a tart. "And what you saw were shadows."

"And the hand that pushed me?" Akko said, feeling heat rise to her cheeks at the realization that her friends didn't believe her, either. "Are you going to tell me that was just the wind?"

Lotte shrugged, jaw clenching as she fought to hold back a yawn that ended up winning. She covered her mouth with her fist. "That's likely, being up that high," she finally said.

Akko flung herself back onto her bed, groaning. "Aw, you guys! How can you not believe me, either? I know what I saw. There's no _way_ I was seeing things."

"Well, how come Diana didn't see, then?" Lotte asked.

"I don't know." Akko sighed. "It all happened so fast. She might not have noticed."

"I believe you, Akko," Sucy said. She finished watering her mushrooms and shoved them into the darkness of her bottom desk to grow.

"Eh?" Akko sat up, lips parting in disbelief as she stared at Sucy. "Really?"

"Sure." Sucy shrugged, looking over at the Japanese witch with her tell-tale smirk as she climbed into her own bed. "I believe you may have had a little something in your orange juice this morning."

"Sucy!" Akko shrieked, grabbing her pillow and chucking it at her roommate so fast that the other witch didn't have time to dodge. The pillow smacked into the side of her head where she grabbed it, chuckling, and threw it back at Akko.

"Sucy, you're kidding, right?" Lotte asked, her voice wavering with uncertainty. She drew her legs into her own bed as she removed her thick glasses and placed them next to her pillow.

"Maybe, maybe not," Sucy said, rolling over to face the wall and shoving in her earbuds. Not even a moment later, even breaths rose from where she lie.

Akko buried her face in her pillow. She hadn't thought she was hallucinating. It had seemed so real. But, if Sucy had snuck something into her drink, _again_ , she might find herself actually getting expelled for morphing her roommate into something that would likely get her stomped on by another student.

Ignoring Headmistress Holbrooke was a rare occurrence for Diana, but it had to be done. So, instead of going to her room to get sleep as ordered, she went right on past the stairs to the second floor and instead she pushed through the large doors of the library.

If Akko had seen what she had seen—if Akko was _right_ , that meant that Diana's fears were confirmed. She had felt danger looming with the onset of the Martian Eclipse. And, that very evening, she had felt the familiar prickle of fear that came with the signature of malevolent magic.

* * *

Diana had been on her regular evening patrol of the school grounds. Everything had seemed quiet after the storm. Peaceful, even. And, of course, no students were violating the rules to be outside as the rain had just ended, so she was taking advantage of the alone time to let herself drift into her thoughts.

Which, as it happened to be, were of the exact witch that had screamed her name from so high up.

Diana had looked up just in time to see the arm retreat back to the shrouded figure that seemed to evaporate into a mist before her eyes. Just in time to see that Akko had been flung forcefully from the edge of the observatory.

" _Tia Freyre!_ " Diana had screamed as she leapt onto her broom and flew towards Akko's tumbling body. At first, she wasn't sure that she was going to catch her. For a brief, painful moment, the image of Akko's crumpled form at the base of the observatory flashed through her mind. But when her arm flew out and magic sparked at their connection, her entire body had sighed with relief.

Yes, she was upset with Akko for being out after hours, but it was something she had come to expect of the other witch. She was furious that something—no, someone—had put Akko's life in danger, had attempted to harm her in a way that would have had fatal results. If this was what she thought it was, then Akko had nothing to do with it, she would have been nothing but collateral damage.

Diana locked the library door behind her with the master key she'd been given as one of the school's monitors. The library was still, silent. Dark. The rain had resumed once more since their time in Headmistress Holbrooke's office and fell heavily against the cathedral windows that stretched across the walls. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance, but no lightning came.

Taking a deep breath, Diana closed her eyes and painted a picture in her mind of the red sigil that Akko had described. The section that she needed would be in the back of the library, in the Ancient History section that students only visited with a groan when they had a report to write on long-dead magical practices.

But Diana didn't step forward with the groan of a jaded student. She stepped forward with fear coursing through her bloodstream, with a lump in her throat that told her that as much as she didn't want it to be so, the evidence spoke otherwise.

She traced her fingers across the old, tattered spines of thick tomes from long ago, blue eyes scanning over the barely legible titles of each. And there—there it was. Nearly out of reach, but not so if she carefully stepped onto the second shelf and stretched.

Her finger snagged the top of the book just as the shelf shifted beneath her. She tumbled backwards, back striking the hard ground in a way that forced the air from her lungs. Taking a few deep breaths, she sat up and looked around her.

The book had come down with her. It lay on the ground at her side, the front cover nearly ripped from the spine with the force of the fall, but the red lettering etched into the leather glared out at her.

 _Ancient Magical Cults_

Diana would usually scold someone for damaging school property and would never have done it herself, even on accident, but the drive of fear overcame the drive of her good conscience and she simply grabbed it and headed to a desk. Flicking on the lantern, she let her body crumple into a hard wooden chair as she flipped through the old, yellowed pages of the text.

It took longer than she thought to find what she was looking for. Her eyes had grown weary by the time she turned the page to see the familiar sigil. The sigil that Akko had seen.

It was as she feared.

Diana read no further. There would be time for that, which was the only small comfort Diana could offer herself. Slamming the book shut, she tucked it into the inside of her robe and rushed from the library, making sure to wave her wand in a concealment spell to hide the sound of her hurrying footsteps.

* * *

"This is the absolute _worst_ ," Akko moaned as she grit her teeth and powered through the pain in her shoulder.

"You're telling me," Amanda said, sweat dripping off her forehead as she tucked what felt like her millionth clean plate into the drying rack. She let her body collapse against the sink. "I don't know what I did to deserve this!"

"According to Headmistress Holbrooke, you skipped Magical Linguistics to fly your broomstick to an undetermined off-site location," Diana said matter-of-factly from where she sat in the corner of the kitchen with her nose tucked into a book. "Therefore, in my opinion, this punishment is rather lenient."

"No one asked you, Cavendish," Amanda grumbled. "Akko, can you hand me a clean sponge? This one's disgusting."

"Sure." Akko tossed Amanda a brand new sponge and quickly got back to work scraping burnt bits of potato off a massive baking sheet. "Where'd you go, Amanda? You never told me."

Amanda quirked an eyebrow, snickering as she dunked the sponge into the sink full of warm, soapy water. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Well, yeah," Akko said. "That's why I asked."

"Not sure Miss Goody-Two-Shoes would want to listen to that," Amanda replied, raising her eyes pointedly at Diana. She grabbed another plate that still had chunks of what looked like chicken that had been chewed up and spit out. She made a face, but started cleaning it regardless. "It's not exactly something you would see on The Brady Bunch."

"First," Diana said, lowering her book to look over at the two girls. "I am not familiar with whatever The Brady Bunch is. Second, I have no interest in the semantics of your conversation."

While Akko and Diana weren't often together, it had seemed like Diana had been going out of her way to avoid Akko as much as possible since the night she fell from the observatory. Akko's hand paused on the baking sheet as she looked at the studious witch. She couldn't help but notice that she looked a little bit tired.

Diana glanced over, met her eyes. Then looked away quickly, burying her face back into the thick old book Akko had seen reading almost the entire week.

"Remember when we went to Blytonbury the other weekend?" Amanda asked Akko, tossing the last of the plates into the drying rack and getting to work on the silverware. "We should use plastic. That would save a lot of man-hours," she mumbled.

"Yeah," Akko said, raising her arms above her head in a long stretch before putting her aching arm back to work. The sheet was absolutely _caked_ with burnt potatoes. She was starting to think she needed a chisel to get everything off.

"Remember that girl from the ice cream shop? The one who was running the register?" Amanda flashed Akko a devious smile.

"Maybe? Y—yes?"

"Asked her out." Amanda rolled her shoulders in an effort to fight off the ache in her muscles. "Anyway, she lives a town over. Skipped class and went to her place."

"Uh…" Akko scrunched her eyebrows together, paying very close attention to a particular spot on the baking sheet, which she used to shield her face and the blush that had cropped up on her cheeks. "Oh?"

"Yep," Amanda said, grinning as she dipped her hand into the sink and pulled out some forks to toss into their container. "Totally worth it."

In her corner, Diana buried her nose deeper into her book to hide the furious shade of red that had worked its way into her face.

"I, uh…" Akko swallowed hard, hand moving in a mechanical rhythm, "I didn't know you were seeing someone. That's cool."

Amanda hummed. She grabbed a handful of spoons and dropped them haphazardly into the container next to the forks. Turning to where Akko sat, she let her mouth spread into a wide grin and lowered her voice. "Well, guess we don't tell each other everything, now do we?"

Akko suddenly realized she'd been scrubbing the same place on the baking sheet for a while. One small spot was sparkling silver while the rest was soot black and coated with potatoes. She sighed. "Guess not," she mumbled as she let the sheet fall into her lap.

Amanda sidled up next to Akko, leaning in so close that Akko could feel the tips of Amanda's wild hair brush against her forehead. "So, Akko," she started, keeping her voice low. "Who is it that you like?"

Akko felt her breath hitch. She threw a desperate glance at Diana, swallowing hard before looking back to Amanda. "Uh… no one?" she finally said.

The slow smirk that tugged at the corner of Amanda's lips told Akko that the other witch was unconvinced. "Hm, is that so? Not even Andrew Hanbridge? Seems to me like he's taken a liking to you. I mean, what a good looking guy. He's got half the girls at Luna Nova positively _swooning_."

" _Definitely_ not," Akko replied, her tone sliding back into its normal volume. She brought her voice back down to a whisper. "Andrew is just a… friend. He's a friend, Amanda. I have never—ew. No, ew." She waved her hands in front of her face for emphasis.

Amanda rapped her fingers against her knee. "Hm. Maybe someone else, then? Someone of equal… prestige, maybe? A particular blonde... witch? Goes by the name of Ciana Davendish?"

Akko could feel the flames licking at her cheeks.

"C'mon, Kagari, I'm not dumb. I've seen the way you keep looking over at her every chance you get." Amanda couldn't hide the smile in her voice. "It's been _months_. You can only hide something like that for so long. Of course I've noticed."

Akko swallowed hard, picking the baking sheet back up and scraping at the potatoes with gritted teeth. "There's nothing going on," Akko whispered, though she couldn't stop her voice from wavering. Chancing another look at Diana seemed to only fuel Amanda's mischievous smile. "Shut up about it, Amanda."

"Pardon me, but what are the two of you whispering about?"

Akko was so flustered that she hadn't even notice Diana approaching. She nearly fell backwards where she sat, which sent Amanda spiraling into delighted laughter.

"Bet you feel left out, huh?" Amanda asked, quirking an eyebrow at Diana.

"No," Diana stated, folding her arms across her body. "I'd simply like to return to the comfort of my own room for my studies. Are you girls nearly finished?"

Akko looked down at the potato covered sheet in her hands. "Uh..."

"Honestly." Diana sighed, pulling out her wand and flicking her wrist gently. A soft green light crept from the tip of her wand to the baking sheet, engulfing it in a gentle glow.

Akko waited until the tingling had left her fingers before looking down to find that what she had been working on for the better part of an hour was now sparkling clean "Seriously?" she grumbled. "We could have been done a long time ago."

"Yeah, what gives?" Amanda asked, looking equally perturbed.

Diana rolled her eyes, shoving her wand back in its holder at her side. "In that case, this would not be a punishment," she said, snatching up her book to shove underneath her arm. "Now, if you don't mind, I would _really_ like to return to my studies in a more suitable environment."

It was a good thing that she chose to leave first, because Akko was pretty certain the crude gesture Amanda made behind her back would _not_ have had a positive outcome.

* * *

"You're doing well, Akko," Diana said without glancing up from the text she'd been fully immersed in the entire evening.

Akko took a deep breath, tossing knotted strands of brunette hair over her shoulder as she readied herself inside the chalk circle. Dominant foot forward, toe pointed at the target, shoulders square, head held high-

" _Murowa_!"

The old copy of Night Fall that they'd found in the corner of the room flew off the chair, flames gently prodding the pages before engulfing the entire piece of literature (if Akko could even call it that) and rendering it to nothing but a pile of still smoldering ash. Ashes from other books scattered around the room from the various items they had been practicing on. Parts of the chair beneath the book were scorched from Akko's numerous mishaps, not to mention a large portion of the chalkboard that Diana insisted she would mend at the end of their practice sessions.

Akko tucked her wand away. She'd hardly spoken to Diana the entire evening and couldn't escape the tension that had settled thick between them. She could feel her own magic seeking Diana's whenever she was within her proximity, only to jolt back into her body like a magnet being repelled.

The same uneasy feeling quivered beneath her skin once again as she threw herself down in a chair, swiping her sweaty fringe out of her eyes "How would you know," she muttered. "You haven't even been watching."

Diana glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "If you weren't doing well, that atrocity that someone dared called a novel would still be there." She directed to the chair with the flick of a finger. "But I see that it is no longer," she said, before adding in a lower tone, "What a shame."

Akko rolled her eyes, yanking a bottle of cucumber infused water from her bag to take a long swig. Her mouth was dry from shouting so many spells. "What now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Diana asked. She turned her deep blue eyes to Akko, slowly shutting the thick book that she had been reading for... well, since forever.

"I mean what I said," Akko said, pursing her lips and shrugging. "I've gone through every single magical creature in the textbook so many times that if I have to do it again I think I'll snap. I've done all the spells you told me I needed to learn. Well, except that water spout one, but that one is _really_ hard and I'm pretty sure isn't in the curriculum-" Akko stopped herself, taking a breath and leveling her gaze to Diana's. "I mean, what now?"

Diana hummed, slipping her finger between the pages of where she'd left off and turning her attention back to her book. "It's whatever you like, Akko," she said. "If you don't know it now, then you won't know it for the exams next week. There will not be any miracles between now and then. So, it's whatever you like."

 _Whatever I like_ , Akko thought, crossing her arms over her chest. _I'd like to go do something else! Anything else!_

She rose from her chair to go practice the barrier spell Diana had taught her, but paused to chance a quick look at what Diana had been reading the entire time.

And... wait. Was that...

"The sigil?" Akko said, confusion lacing her voice. She scrunched her eyebrows together as she glanced from the book to Diana's face. "That's the sigil I saw."

Diana slammed the book shut and threw it next to her, but not before Akko caught sight of the red words that seemed to glare from a front cover that was hanging on by a mere thread.

 _Ancient Magical Cults_

"You saw it too, didn't you?" Akko said, unable to hide the accusation in her voice. She planted her palms on the edge of the table and leaned in to Diana. "You saw it!"

"I saw no such thing," Diana replied, blowing a piece of blonde hair out of her eyes and looking away. "I'm merely doing some research for a personal... project... of mine."

"You threw me under the _bus!_ " Akko shrieked. "You made me look like I was crazy!"

"Akko- wait, what bus?"

Akko huffed angrily, stomping her foot. "It's just a saying!"

"That's a ridiculous 'saying'."

"Stop trying to divert my attention!" Akko cried out, reaching for the book. Diana's cold fingers snaking around her wrist stopped her instantly. Akko groaned, yanking her arm away. "What's going on, Diana?"

"Akko." Diana took a deep breath, closing her eyes to take a moment before opening them again. "It doesn't concern you in the least. Please, for once, just stay out of the affairs of others."

"Oh, the affairs of others?" Akko threw her hands in the air. "So someone shoving me off the observatory counts as the affairs of others now?"

"You don't understand." Diana's tone was harsh, almost demeaning. She rose, and Akko got the distinct feeling she was trying to use her height to intimidate her.

Akko refused to let it work. She held her ground, glaring into the face of the other witch. "I understand that whatever is in that book of yours tried to kill me. I may be a space cadet, but I'm not an idiot!"

"I know you're not-" Diana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "That's not what I'm saying, Akko. "It's just that this is a very serious matter. Not even the staff knows about this. This is something that has to be controlled by somebody who, well-" she trailed off, struggling to find the right word.

"By who?" Akko demanded, a dark red flush rising into her cheeks. "By who, _Diana_? A smarter witch? Someone who can do all these stupid spells with their eyes closed? Someone like, oh, I don't know, you?" She began haphazardly tossing her belongings into her bag. "We've done a lot of things together, Diana. I was hoping you didn't still think I was stupid like everyone else, but I see that I was _very_ wrong."

She tossed her bag over her shoulder with an angry huff before storming to the door.

"Wait, Akko! I don't think you're stupid, I just don't-"

The door to the practical room slammed shut behind an uncharacteristically angry Akko. The very foundation of the building seemed to shiver in her wake.

"-want you to get hurt."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 _The Final Exam_

Akko could feel the eyes of her classmates staring down at her. It was enough to make any student nervous, but the fact that she'd been under the limelight so much made their exclusive attention much less unsettling. What _did_ make her nervous, though, was the major detail that she and Diana hadn't spoken since their final night of studies. At all. Not even when their teams had gathered outside over the weekend for a few friendly broom relays. Which Akko hadn't participated in for... well, reasons. Namely the inability to fly.

Even Lotte and Sucy had asked what was going on between them.

"One moment ladies. My apologies. We seem to be having some system issues," Professor Badcock was saying from her podium. "Strange, really, everything was just fine when I ran checks prior to class."

As they stood at the head of the classroom, Akko could feel the unease that circulated between herself and Diana. While Professor Badcock was preparing the simulation, she stole a sideways glance at the blonde witch at her side.

Diana was staring straight ahead, the muscles of her jaw tightened in a way that Akko could only describe as stoic. Her hand rested on the handle of her wand as she waited for the simulation to begin, mind likely running through the possibilities of the trial.

But Akko was hardly thinking of the monster that awaited them. To her, the monster was the wedge that had worked its way between she and her friend. The weight of their words that hung in the air surrounding them. Akko was sure that whatever awaited them in their final practical exam would not be nearly a much of a challenge as the two of them coming together to defeat it.

"Ah! There we go. Alright, ladies, your time starts now. You have ten minutes," Professor Badcock called from her podium, a shrill beep echoing through the classroom as the simulation booted up.

Once again, the ground was shifting beneath their feet, the wind was howling in their ears, and the nervous silence of the classroom gave way to the sounds of a completely new environment.

When the world stopped shaking around them, Akko and Diana opened their eyes to find themselves standing in a desert.

"Interesting," Diana said, drawing her wand.

The two witches slowly took in their new environment. Sand stretched as far as the eye could see. There was nothing else. No cover. Nowhere to hide. And no... monster?

"Um, Diana?" Akko spoke up from her teammate's side. "Where is it?"

Diana shifted into a defensive stance next to Akko, cool blue eyes scanning the cloudless sky. "I'm not sure," she replied, turning rapidly in an effort to find the threat that they knew loomed somewhere among them. "Wait," she finally said, pointing to a large sand dune in the distance. "There."

Akko's eyes followed to where Diana was pointing. It was difficult to see with the sand drifting through the air, but there was no mistaking the fierce beast as it moved closer, spiraling around them. The great head of a lion peered at them through a pair of menacing black eyes, lips curled back in a threatening snarl. Flames licked the air around its mouth, smoke rising from flaring nostrils.

From its back rose the head of a large goat, whose lips pursed in a shrill bleat as it waved its sharpened horns in the air.

And whirling from what would have been the tail of a normal creature was the curved body and dangerous diamond head of a massive snake. Drops of venom dripped from its wet fangs, scorching the sand around the prowling monster.

"Is that..." Akko started, readying her wand as the beast lowered itself to the ground, growling from the great lion head that was staring directly at them as though they were a gourmet meal.

"A Chimera!" Diana called, green light already flaring from the tip of her wand as she readied her stance. "Akko, look out!"

With a roar that threatened to make Akko's eardrums collapse, the Chimera leaped forward in a pounce that closed the distance between them so fast that she didn't have time to think.

" _Circum Praesidio_!" Diana yelled, wand twirling at her side. Just as claws the size of swords came swiping at them, a wavering purple shield erupted from her wand to repel the monster into a surprised stumble. "Akko," she said, teeth grit together as she held the shield. "Cover the space behind us!"

Akko knew what she meant. She whirled, pressing her back to Diana's as she lifted her arm and in the same motion, though not quite as fluid, shouted, " _Circum Praesidio!_ " The barrier half mooned into Diana's, shield's pulsing into each other to strengthen and block out the Chimera as it circled them, snarling and swiping at the magic shield which rocked madly with each blow.

"We can't hold this for long." Sweat was already dripping down Diana's temple as she strained to feed more magic into the shield. "We need a plan. Akko, do you recall Sucy's suggestion?"

"Uh, yeah," Akko panted just as the goat slammed its horns into her side of the shield. A large crack erupted, etching a jagged line across the weakening barrier. "I do. Are you saying-"

"Yes." Diana drew a deep breath. Akko could feel her lungs inflate against her back. Flames shot from the lion's mouth, scorching the connection of their two shields. "As much as I hate to admit, it's extremely applicable in this case. Are you ready?" She paused, glancing back to see Akko's confident nod. "Now!"

Diana dropped the shield just as Akko yelled, " _Metamorphie Faciesse_!"

Akko felt her body jolt as her form popped into that of a large mouse. With a great spring from her hind legs, she launched into the air, gripping the mane of the startled lion as it began to shake its head back and forth in confusion.

"Yeah!" Akko yelled, paws clutching the thick hair of the beast as she climbed high onto the top of its body, avoiding the paws that swiped around its head in an attempt to dislodge its newest addition. "You want me? Come and get me, you big dummy!"

She hopped onto its back, barely avoiding the charging horns of the second head. The goat bleated in frustrated anger, spraying Akko with spit.

"Oh, gross!" Akko grumbled, jumping up onto the goat's beard and climbing around the side of its face. "Don't you know manners?"

From the corner of her eye, she could see Diana. Magic was swirling around her as she waved her wand, gathering power for her next spell. Which... definitely hadn't been communicated to Akko. Just as the snake was bearing down at the mouse with dripping fangs, Akko was able to hear Diana cast with enough time to shout, " _Metamorphie Faciesse!_ " only a half-second after Diana yelled, " _Ventus cuniculum!_ "

Akko took flight into her new form as a hawk right as the Chimera was blasted backwards in a flurry of flying heads and claws. As it leapt back to its feet, its eyes glared down at its new target: the blonde spellcaster who had hit it with a wind so forceful that the flames had nearly fizzled out around its bared fangs.

The Chimera tensed and bellowed a roar, smoke pluming from its nostrils. It opened its mouth, reaching the lion head back before blasting a spray of fire at Diana. The flames grew so hot that Akko had to ascend higher, feeling the tips of her wings burning from the heat.

Diana rolled to the side to narrowly avoid being engulfed in the line of fire that had been shot her way. She could feel hot sweat pouring down her face and was partially aware that a few holes had been burned into her nicest school uniform. She took a deep breath, readying herself for the next attack as she watched Akko circling overhead.

The snake head was twirling wildly in the air, straining to grip the tantalizing hawk in its deadly fangs. Akko readied herself and took a sharp dive, pulling up at the last minute to evade the mouth attempting to snap into her. She knew the lion still had Diana in its focus. She had to pull something, and fast, to distract the Chimera once more.

"Try harder!" Akko yelled, laughing as she dove to and fro. But her arrogance earned her a misjudged taunt. She dipped far enough to evade the snake, but momentarily forgot about the tossing head of the angry goat that rose from the middle of the monster. She felt the air leave her body as the powerful horns smacked into her side and sent her flying backwards into a nearby sand dune, where she found herself morphed back to her normal form and fighting to get breath back into her lungs.

The Chimera whirled. Akko blinked up to find herself face to face with sharp, flaming teeth. The heat bore into her as the snarling lion growled only inches from her face, snake tail whipping angrily around its heaving sides. It opened its mouth, foul breath and thick, black smoke pouring over the scrambling witch in front of it.

"Akko!" She heard Diana call. The Chimera crunched down.

On her wand.

She peeled her eyes open, feeling the hot breath of the Chimera directly on her neck as she strained to keep the beast at bay with the wand she'd wedged into its mouth. She didn't know how long she could hold it. The creature was way stronger. She felt her elbows buckling in an attempt to fend it off. Flames from the canines pressed up against her neck, burning into her flesh. She choked back the pain of her own searing skin.

Diana's heart was hammering against her ribcage. She pulled to a stop behind Akko and drew into a stance that showed confidence despite her exhaustion. She raised her wand, feeling her own magic and even some of Akko's flow through her bloodstream as she threw her wand forward and yelled, " _Sonum aquarum_!"

Bright green magic flew towards the Chimera, morphing into an onslaught of water that sprayed into the monster's mouth. Akko felt the water pouring over her body but stayed still, pushing her wand forward with all her might until she felt the jaw slacken and pull away from her.

The flames were extinguished. Smoke no longer billowed from the creature's mouth. Instead, droplets of water fell to the sand and dissolved in a puff of steam.

The snake head coiled inward, the massive goat head lowered its horns, and the ferocious lion let its mouth quietly shut as it backed slowly away from the two witches. With a final growl, it turned and fled across the sea of sand.

Akko allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief as she examined her wand. A few teeth marks had scratched the metal, but nothing detrimental. She pulled her shaking body up, water dripping from her hair and clothes, and turned to look at Diana with a broad smile.

"Diana!" she shrieked, tucking her wand into its holster and launching at the other witch to wrestle her into a tight hug. "We did it!"

Diana's body stiffened at the impact of Akko's. She felt her stomach lurch. Her heart was still pounding, but she knew it wasn't from the Chimera any longer. She gripped Akko's shoulders and pushed the smaller girl back with a reassuring smile, tensing her jaw at the familiar surge of energy that pulsed beneath her skin. "Yes, we did," she confirmed, nodding. "If you don't mind, Akko, you're a bit... wet."

Akko chuckled, looking down at her soaked clothing. "Yeah, guess so. That's okay. We're totally going to get an A!"

The sand beneath them was already shifting rapidly as the ground began to shiver. A light breeze had picked up, sending a chill through Akko's wet body. Akko braced herself, ready for the familiar nausea to take hold as the world changed.

But instead, a high-pitched whine erupted from somewhere above and Akko slammed her hands over her ears in an attempt to drown out the sound that followed, one she could only describe as a crack. The ground swayed beneath them, shuddering violently.

"What's going on?" she asked Diana, red eyes flashing to meet the blue of her teammate's.

"I... I'm not certain," Diana replied, glancing around.

The ground suddenly quaked so violently that both witches were thrown from their feet. The world grew silent once more.

Akko climbed to her feet, spitting sand out of her mouth as she looked around. The sky had darkened to an ominous grey, but no clouds were in sight.

But she did see something familiar.

"Uh, Diana."

Diana was brushing the sand off her uniform. "It seems there continues to be a system er-" Diana's voice trailed off as her eyes settled on the same spot that Akko was staring at.

A red sigil was burning against the wavy sand, growing brighter with every second until it flashed in a brilliant spark of crimson and faded away.

And there, where the sigil had once been, stood five figures in a V formation.

"It can't be," Diana said, hand flying to her side to firmly grip her wand. The other flew out to grab Akko's wet sleeve, pulling her in close. "Akko, ready yourself. Do not go anywhere."

Not that Akko had _planned_ on going anywhere. Another loud crack resounded throughout the world, echoing across the desolate landscape. Akko took a sharp breath.

"Ah, Diana."

A soft male voice came from behind them. Diana and Akko both whirled simultaneously to find themselves face-to-face with a tall figure, cloaked in the same black robes that adorned the other five figures. The hood was pulled far over his face, shrouding his eyes and a large portion of his face. But Akko could see his mouth and the lips that had pulled back into a dark smile.

Diana raised her wand.

The man's hand shot out from his side, covering Diana's wrist in a hard grip. Akko could feel the sensation of dark magic flooding through them, straining against their own. A shiver ran down her spine.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." He sneered back at them, lifting his hand from Diana's. "The star of Luna Nova, I believe they call you? A successful witch such as yourself would not want to suffer the devastating curse that would come with committing fratricide." In a slow, deliberate motion, he tugged the hood down around his neck.

And Akko found herself staring back at an oddly familiar face.

She was greeted with the prominent bone structure befitting in a wealthy family. The youthful features of his face told Akko that he couldn't have been much older than them, maybe only a few years. Cold blue eyes set under arched blonde eyebrows were burning into Diana's, staring the witch down with a look of superiority and bemusement.

But his hair. Slightly wavy, but slicked back. Blonde, with tea-green highlights.

She felt Diana's sharp intake of breath at her side.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked between this strange new man and Diana. Finally, her red eyes settled on him. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"I would ask the same of you, but most fortunately for me, I already know much about you, Atsuko Kagari." He smirked back at her, eyes flashing. "It does not surprise me that Diana has never spoken my name. I am, after all, an exile."

"Damien." As composed as ever, but Akko could feel Diana's hesitation. "What are you doing here?"

"You know exactly why I'm here," he replied.

"Damien?" Akko glanced back and forth between the two. "Who is Damien? Could someone please enlighten me?"

"He's my brother," Diana said at last, eyes narrowing as she glared back at him. "And Akko has nothing to do with our family affairs, Damien. I demand you leave her out of this."

" _Demand_?" Damien chuckled, running a hand through his wavy hair. "You demand that of me? Need I remind you that I, as the elder, am the rightful heir of House Cavendish. Or, I will be, when the Martian Eclipse takes place." He leveled his gaze at Diana. "Almost amusing, but you always did have such a dreadful sense of humor, Diana."

Diana said nothing. Her fists clenched at her sides.

A foreboding sensation overwhelmed Akko. She glanced to the side to see that the five figures were now standing only feet away, heads bowed as though in prayer.

"As it happens, this girl here," Damien waved a hand at Akko, "has found herself in the unfortunate circumstance of already seeing too much. Besides," the corner of his mouth quirked with a sneer, "I believe she cares far too much for you to be able to distance herself from this situation. Thus, easier to dispose of the both of you together. This simulation offered the perfect opportunity. Such low grade security deserves a proper hacking, don't you think?" He lifted an eyebrow. "I believe this will be Luna Nova's lesson to learn. Not yours."

"What do you mean by that?" Akko cried, but it was too late.

With a gentle flick of his wrist, the man that was Damien Cavendish dissolved before them. The five cloaked figures, too, disappeared without a trace.

But the quivering of the ground told them that they weren't alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 _The Behemoth_

The witches whirled just as the cloudless sky began pouring impossible amounts of rain.

It was dark, but a flash of lighting revealed the source of the rumblings. A gargantuan beast, easily half the height of the Luna Nova Tower and equally as muscled, was stomping towards them. Outward veins pulsed against slick, rippling black flesh. A large head, almost canine in appearance, lifted high as it opened its mouth to reveal rows of sharpened fangs.

"It can't be," Diana said. She held her palm out in front of her face, struggling to shield her eyes from the pouring rain.

For a second, Akko could have sworn she saw fear pass over Diana's face. But as fast as it came, it was gone. Akko swallowed hard. "It can't be what, Diana?"

"A Behemoth."

Diana watched as the ancient beast lumbered across the desert, completely unbothered by the storm raging around it. In fact, it seemed to _feed_ off it.

"A Behemoth?" Akko asked, watching the monster take a large sniff of the ground where the Chimera had been before. "That's not in our textbook at all!"

"That's because they are extinct." Diana gripped her wand, readying herself. "Or, they're supposed to be. The last sighting of a Behemoth was in the 15th century."

"Then how-"

The Behemoth raised its massive head, bright yellow eyes falling on the two girls.

"This is a conversation for another time," Diana said. She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself as the ground threatened to throw her off balance. As the Behemoth had been extinct for hundreds of years, there were no modern texts that offered the details on defeating one. Even the ancient texts spoke only of the Behemoth in terms of historical significance, such as when one of the last living creatures destroyed an entire Persian brigade.

But, for once, as the great beast quickened its stride, it wasn't Diana who did the quick thinking. Akko lifted her wand and shouted, " _Metamorphie Faciesse_!"

A light bay mare with Akko's bright red eyes appeared in her place. She wasn't as large as the Thoroughbreds that the Cavendish had bred to perfection over the years, but she would do. Diana would have to commend Akko's bright idea at another time.

Knowing exactly what Akko intended, she threaded her fingers through the dark brown mane and vaulted onto her back just as Akko broke into a gallop.

To her surprise, though, Akko headed _toward_ the Behemoth.

"Akko, what are you-"

"He can't turn very fast," Akko said, although Diana was pretty sure it wasn't spoken aloud. Akko's voice resonated inside of her head.

The Behemoth raised one massive paw and took a swipe at them. It missed, crashing down into the sand, which sprayed everywhere. Diana buried her face to avoid getting it in her eyes as she leaned forward and tightened her legs around Akko's sides, straining to hold her seat as Akko's body grew slick from the rain.

Akko weaved around the Behemoth's leg, bolting underneath the massive underbelly of the ancient creature and breaking between its hind legs. Diana felt her lengthen her stride beneath her and clicked her tongue out of habit, pressing her hands forward and urging Akko on with gentle taps of the heel.

"Are you kicking me?" Akko's voice echoed through her head. "Stop doing that and start thinking of spells! I'm trying to buy us time, but I can't run all day!"

The Behemoth was moving its massive body in a slow 180. Akko was right, its body was so large it couldn't turn quickly at all. Raising her head and her wand, Diana took a deep breath.

" _Murowa_!"

The blast from Diana's spell struck the Behemoth on its side. The only thing the spell seemed to accomplish was a deafening roar from the creature and a whole lot of fury. It whirled on its hindquarters, swiping at the pair again.

"Hold on," she heard Akko say as the paw flew at them. As the massive limb came barreling toward them, Diana felt Akko's muscles tense beneath her as she lifted into the air.

Diana leaned into the jump, grateful for all those years of lessons her mother had provided, as Akko deftly cleared the paw, landed, and bolted between its legs.

The Behemoth seemed impervious to physical attacks. Its hide was thick and sinewy, easily deflecting anything that Diana attempted to throw at it. There were no other tools at their disposal, there was nowhere to take shelter, there was nothing but the two witches and their limited knowledge of the beast that was desperate to smash them into the ground.

Akko's sides heaved from the effort of a prolonged gallop. Her legs were starting to feel like jello.

Diana could sense Akko's stamina fading beneath her. She flicked her wand, pulling up a cloud of sand and sending it flying into the Behemoth's eyes.

The Behemoth roared, rearing back onto its hind legs and blinking rapidly as it tried to clear the sand from its vision. Its front paws began swiping madly in all directions, forcing Akko to dash back and forth in an attempt to evade each desperate strike.

Diana felt Akko's body take a massive gulp of air and lift once more in an effort to leap over another oncoming paw.

But, at the very last second, the Behemoth jerked its limb upward. Diana could hear the sickening crunch as the bottom of the Behemoth's paws slammed into Akko's midsection, could feel Akko's cry of pain as the two were flung across the desert.

Diana hit the ground hard, wet sand splashing up around her as she skidded into Akko's body. Akko was back to her normal form. She lay crumpled beside Diana, clutching her abdomen and wailing.

"Akko!" Diana cried. But she had no time to help her friend. The Behemoth was bearing down on them with glistening fangs, fury flaring in its bright yellow eyes. Diana did the only thing she could think to do.

She reached for Akko.

Diana's fingers snaked down Akko's wrist to intertwine their fingers. Akko responded with a hard squeeze of her hand.

The familiar, overwhelming surge of magical energy erupted through Diana. She could feel the magic racing through her blood, filling every crevice of her body with a pulsing, electric sensation. She sat up, feeling her back arch under the weight of Akko's magical influence, and raised her wand.

"Akko, close your eyes."

She had no time to find out if Akko had done as she said. Squeezing her own eyes shut, she thrust her wand forward.

" _Clara sole_!"

Even with her eyes shut, the bright light that erupted from the tip of her wand burst through the thin skin of Diana's eyelids. She could feel the rain pouring down with greater intensity, but did not dare move. Instead, she grit her teeth together and channeled as much magical energy as she could into the spell, forcing a light that she only hoped was as bright as the sun into the eyes of the Behemoth.

And she held it.

The world was shaking.

Rain pounded away at her skin.

Wind howled in her ears.

Her stomach twisted and turned.

Still, she held on.

Until all fell silent.

Diana could no longer feel herself harnessing the power that she had a moment ago.

Tentatively, she opened her eyes to find herself staring not into the gaze of the ancient Behemoth, but instead a classroom of students with their jaws dropped open.

Akko whimpered next to her.

She dropped her wand.

"Miss Cavendish! Miss Kagari! Are you alright?"

Professor Badcock rushed to the sides of the students lying at the front of the classroom. The simulation had ended. Diana and Akko were back in the real world. Back at Luna Nova.

"She's injured," Diana said, her tone urgent. "We have to get her help."

Diana ignored the water dripping from her uniform to puddle on the stone floor. She rolled into a kneel, taking in the sight of Akko's form for the first time since the beginning of the fight.

Akko _seemed_ alright. She had no cuts, there was no blood, but something was very wrong. Akko was wheezing between groans, arm wrapped tight around her ribcage.

Diana was still clutching Akko's hand. Instead of removing it, she gave it a squeeze. "Everything will be alright, Akko," she said, though it was more to herself than the girl lying before her.

"I've got the nurse!" Lotte yelled as she slammed open the wooden door to the classroom. Sensing the urgency, Madam Wong rushed in, pushing a stretcher. She ran to Akko's side.

"What are her injuries?" she asked, glancing between Diana and Professor Badcock. With no immediate response, she pushed her hands beneath Akko's shoulder blades. "Help me lift her."

Diana released her friend's hand and clambered to her feet. She backed away, watching as Professor Badcock and Madam Wong eased Akko's body onto the stretcher. Upon being lifted, Akko let out a shrill shriek and held her midsection tighter.

"Miss Cavendish-" Professor Badcock called as Diana rushed out of the classroom with Madam Wong.

"I have to go with her," Diana called back, ignoring the bewildered stares and loud chatter of the students in the urgency of the moment. Professor Badcock would receive the explanation that she desired, but no sooner than Diana made sure Akko would be alright.

* * *

"Miss Cavendish, what happened in there?" Professor Badcock asked later in the student counseling office, after Akko had been seen off to the nurse and Diana had the opportunity to shower and change. "The simulation completely shut down on our end. We were unable to see anything. The entire system was down for nearly half an hour."

Diana hesitated, bringing her fingers to her temple as she contemplated her next move. The more people who knew about what was happening, the greater the danger. Akko's life had already been placed on the line and Diana had no intention of risking any more unnecessary casualties.

"The Chimera came back," she lied with ease. "After about ten minutes. We managed to hold it off until the simulation was repaired and we were brought back to the classroom."

"Three broken ribs and a punctured lung are very severe for a Chimera. I intentionally chose the creatures I did because I knew any injuries would be minor if the correct defenses were utilized. That creature must have hit her with quite some force," Professor Badcock mused, removing her glasses to wipe them against her robes. "Tell me, Miss Cavendish, were Miss Kagari's actions... unprecedented?"

"No," Diana said quickly, drawing a sharp breath. "No, Professor Badcock. Akko utilized her abilities in a manner that aligned with the education she received in your class. She did nothing wrong." Diana lowered her head, smiling down at her fidgeting fingers. "In fact, if I may say so, it seems she learned quite a bit during her time with you this semester."

Professor Badcock smiled warmly, sliding her glasses back over her nose as she peered down at the British witch. "If I understand correctly, Miss Cavendish, that distinction belongs to you. Professor Ursula told me that the two of you had been practicing together since your... mishap."

Diana nodded, recalling the last night of their studies where Akko had stormed out of the room. She quickly shook away the thought. "Thank you, Professor. If you don't mind, I would like to-"

"Go check on Miss Kagari. I understand."

Diana nodded, rising from her chair.

"But if I may, Miss Cavendish-"

Professor Badcock had shoved a paper across the desk. It was their test sheet. There were no red marks in sight. In fact, it looked as though there was-

"A perfect score in each category," the teacher clarified with a broad smile. "You both did well. Now, be off, and tell her the good news. And, please, let me know if there is anything I can do for the two of you. We will be looking into repairing the simulator in the morning so this doesn't occur again."

* * *

Akko's eyes blinked open. She found herself staring up at bright industrial lights and lying on a bed that was not quite as cozy as her own. The sheets that covered her body were thin, not the thick Shiny Chariot comforter that she slept beneath.

She tried to sit up, then fell back, inhaling sharply at the stabbing pain in her chest. Feeling something in her arm, she lifted it up to see a needle had been taped into the crook.

Diana glanced up from the book she was reading to find Akko looking around, confused.

"Akko," she said, internally sighing with relief. "You're awake."

"Eh, yeah, I guess," Akko slurred, looking at the metal stand next to her and the thick bag of liquid that was dripping into her arm. "Where'd big boy go?"

"The Behemoth? He's gone, Akko. We're back at Luna Nova." Diana closed her book and placed it on the stand at Akko's bedside, leaning forward in her chair. "How are you feeling?"

Akko groaned, raising her free hand to rub her temple. "Like I got hit with a bag full of bricks," she muttered. She tried to sit up again, only to fall back onto the bed with a cry of pain.

"Don't," Diana said, rising and placing a hand gently on Akko's shoulder to push her back against her pillow. "You broke a few ribs. Madam Wong was able to put a healing spell in place, but the effects won't be complete for a few hours now. Please, relax. You can return to normal in the morning."

Akko moaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "Ima wa nanji?"

"Pardon me?" Diana asked, eyebrows scrunching in confusion at Akko's slip into her first language.

"Time," Akko replied, letting drowsy eyelids open once more.

"Half two," Diana replied, returning her hand to her side and letting a small smile slip across her lips. "In the morning."

"Mmm." Akko rolled her head to face Diana, messy fringe askew on her forehead. "Where's my poster?"

Diana's eyes flickered from the empty vial of Dilautid on Akko's side table and back to her friend's face. "What poster?" she asked, somewhat bemused, given the predicament.

Akko raised her hands, grunting at the pull of the tubes tied to her arm but performing the action of stretching her palms out anyway. "Shiny Chariot. She's usually here."

Diana chuckled, shaking her head and taking a seat back down in the chair she'd been residing in for the better part of the evening. "You're in the hospital ward, Akko."

"Oh," Akko said, blowing at her bangs. "Hey, wait." Her glossy red eyes settled on Diana.

Diana raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Akko?"

Akko's eyes squinted as she stared at Diana, a slow smile creeping across her lips. "Did... did you ride me?"

Diana felt a blush rising into her cheeks. She glanced down at her hands and took a deep breath. "Yes, Akko, but you were a horse," she said. It felt strange to utter those words, but out they came anyway. "You had cast the metamorphosis spell."

"Heh." Akko turned her head and leaned back into her pillow with a sigh. "Whatever it takes, I guess," she said.

Did she just... what?

"Pardon me?" Diana asked again.

"I said-" Akko tilted her head back to Diana, closing her eyes as a wide smirk spread across her face. "That you have very strong legs."

Diana covered her mouth with her hand, grateful that Akko's eyes were closed and she couldn't see the furious shade of red that had burrowed beneath her skin. She knew it was the Dilautid speaking, not Akko, but the tingling sensation in her gut seemed not to care.

She had already pushed the conversation too far, as it was. She said nothing more, but instead watched as Akko's breathing steadied once again.

But when she was sure Akko was asleep, and convinced that Madam Wong had completed her rounds for the time being, she placed a hand on the side of Akko's bed and said, "To be fair, you were a very cute horse."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes from the Author**

It's a busy week and I have to fly out of state for a friend's wedding this weekend, which means churning out as much as I can without compromising quality.

Which also means writing while I'm at work. Shh, don't tell anyone.

Thank you for your continued support and all the great feedback I've gotten so far.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 _The Mark of Death_

It took a moment for Akko to remember where she was, but the bright lights and sterile feel of the room didn't leave her wondering long. The needle that had been in her arm was removed, in its place a band aid over a thick piece of cotton.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

Akko blinked the sleep away from her weary eyes. Diana was sitting at her bedside, sipping a cup of tea and reading something in her lap. Upon noticing Akko's liveliness, she set her tea down on its saucer and closed her book.

"What time is it?" Akko asked, sitting up and rolling her shoulders in a stretch. Her chest was a little sore, but nothing in comparison to the tight, stabbing pain that she'd experienced the day before. The cold against her bare back made her look down at the flimsy white gown she was wearing. She pulled the thin sheets up higher on her waist. "And where are my clothes?"

"Almost eight," Diana said, nodding at the clock on the far wall. "Madam Wong had to cut through your uniform." At the worry that sparked across Akko's face, she quickly added. "I took it upon myself to mend and clean it." She gestured to the uniform laid out over the foot of the bed.

"Oh." Akko could feel herself blushing. "You weren't, uh—you didn't—"

"I saw nothing," Diana said quickly, vaguely aware of the rise in her pulse.

Akko looked away, reaching up to scratch the nape of her neck. "Oh," she said, a sheepish smile spreading across her lips. "You weren't here the whole time, were you?"

Diana shook her head. "Of course not. I had to get my morning tea." Her eyes narrowed as her gaze followed Akko's hand on her neck. "Akko. What's that?"

She rose, setting her book, which Akko recognized as the battered _Ancient Magical Cults_ , gently down on the chair. Her hand snaked out to gently grab Akko's wrist, lowering it as she scrutinized her neck.

"Um—" Akko felt her heart hammering against her chest as Diana gently pushed her hair aside and ran cold, soft fingers across the back of her neck. "It's—uh—the Chimera—burned—just a burn, Diana," she choked out, hoping the other girl couldn't feel her pulse throbbing at light speed.

"No," Diana said, leaning in. "Madam Wong had those removed. This is something else."

She pulled her hand away, much to Akko's relief and dismay, and grabbed the book. She threw it down at Akko's side and began leafing through page upon page of bookmarks. "The appearance is similar to that of the red sigil. It's related to the Order of Aurelion, an ancient cult that spawned at the rise of the first necromancer. The ones who attacked us. I've been doing research on this subject matter since the first appearance of the sigil. I remember seeing this, but I don't recall the exact meaning." Finally, she stopped. "Here." Her finger landed on an illustration.

"What's…" Akko's voice trailed off as she examined the drawing. The red sigil. Except, not quite. It was the same basic design, but it was only the jagged, curved mark that adorned the center of the sigil. "The mark of _death?_ " Akko shrilled, eyes widening. "I'm going to _die_?"

Diana shook her head. "Not necessarily. It means you're being hunted." Her eyes trailed down the page as she read the excerpt. "The mark of death signifies that the individual afflicted is a target for assassination. The mark can be used as a tracking device within a certain range, given certain circumstances. It can only be seen by members of the Order of Aurelion and those who possess the same."

"Those who possess the same," Akko repeated quietly, lifting her eyes to Diana. "That means—"

She brought her hand up to Diana's neck, gently swiping away her thick blonde hair to reveal a nearly opaque red marking that looked exactly like the illustration. The same mark that she assumed was on her neck. "You have it too."

Akko's fingers were warm. Diana winced, taking a sharp breath and feeling the guilt settle into her gut at the way her body was reacting in a serious situation.

"Miss Kagari! You're awake."

As Madam Wong opened the privacy curtain that was separating Akko's bed from the rest, Akko jerked her hand away from Diana's neck as though she had touched a hot burner. Diana, too, took a few quick steps back and tried to cover her quickly reddening face.

"I'm—I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Madam Wong asked, eyes nervously flitting between Akko and Diana.

"N—no," Akko stuttered, turning her face away as flames danced in her cheeks.

"I was just leaving," Diana said, averting her eyes from both the nurse and Akko both. She snatched up her book and hugged it to her chest. "I'm due a visit to the library for a bit of studying." She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but instead shut it and rushed off.

Diana kept her head down as she stormed through the North Hallway, paying no mind to the good morning greetings or calls for her attention. It took half her walk for the blush to work its way out of her cheeks and her nerves to calm, but when she finally felt normal, she was resolute.

She had to think of something, and fast.

Both she and Akko were in very real danger.

* * *

"Akko!"

As soon as Akko stepped through the door to her dorm, Lotte tackled her into a tight hug. Akko winced, still feeling some of the remnants of the injury that had placed her in the hospital ward, but returned it nonetheless. "Lotte!"

"How are you? Are you alright? Oh, I'm so sorry." Lotte gave a nervous chuckle, pulling herself away from Akko and backing up to her bunk. "You're probably still sore."

"I'm fine," Akko lied, forcing a smile. "Madam Wong healed me up."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Lotte asked, narrowing her eyes. "You're acting a little weird."

Akko wasn't about to tell her friends about the mark on both her and Diana's necks. No, that was too dangerous. For the time being, she forced the idea of imminent death from her mind and focused on her friends. "I'm good. Just a little shaken up still, I guess," she said. "But guess what? I got an A on the final! That's probably the best grade I've ever gotten in that class!"

Sucy blinked up from her boiling potion. "Well, glad you're back. Now I don't have to test my poisons on Lotte. She wouldn't have been very good source data."

Akko smiled. She threw herself down on her bunk and leaned back against her pillow. "How did you guys do on the exam?"

"We didn't even get to take it," Sucy said, putting away her alchemy ingredients and turning in her chair to face the other two. "The simulation machine is shut down for now. Constanze said they sent it off to the Ministry of Magic for evaluation." She shrugged, looking completely unphased. "That's what happens when you pick the lowest bidder."

"We might have to take the exam after break," Lotte said with a grumble. "Which really sucks. That means I'll have to study while I'm spending time with my parents over the holidays. Speaking of which, are you going home this year?" she asked, directing her attention to Akko.

Akko shook her head. "Dad's overseas for work and Mom couldn't get much time off." She shrugged. "I'll see them over the next break. I don't mind being here, anyway, it's kind of nice."

A loud knock pulled the Red Team's eyes to the door of their room. But before they could make any kind of move to answer, the wooden door slammed open, ricocheting against the wall.

"Hey! I see you're looking spry," Amanda said with a grin, stepping into the room with Constanze and Jasminka flanking her sides. "We were worried about ya, kid."

Jasminka nodded, plopping down on Akko's bunk and offering her a donut from a gigantic box.

Akko, suddenly realizing how hungry she was, took a strawberry glazed and shoved it into her mouth. "I feel fine," she mumbled through a full mouth. "Just a little sore. No big deal."

"What even happened?" Amanda asked, throwing herself down on the floor and leaning against Sucy's bed. "Everything just kind of vanished."

"Miss Constanze analyzed the machine and determined that security was compromised sometime during the exam," Stanbot chirped. "A weakness in the coding allowed for manipulation by an undetermined entity." Constanze nodded, folding her arms across her chest.

Akko shrugged, chomping thoughtfully at the donut as the others in the room launched into their own theories.

A gentle knock at the door interrupted the chatter of the two teams.

Amanda stood, yanking open the door with an easy grin. "There's a sign that says no soliciting. Didn't ya read it?" She started to shut the door on the Blue Team before Diana pressed her hand against it with a sigh, pushing it open. Hannah and Barbara slid around their blonde teammate to take places in the room with the rest of their friends.

"Very funny, Amanda," she said, leveling her gaze at Akko, who had strawberry icing smeared all over her lips and cheeks.

"Akko, I need to speak with you," Diana said, remaining in the doorway. She could feel the eyes of the other girls on her. "Privately."

Akko shrugged. She shoved the remaining bits of the donut into her mouth and licked her fingers, swiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "Sure." She hopped to her feet, pushing aside the ache in her chest and stepping from the room with Diana. To her surprise, though, Diana began walking off down the hallway.

"Er… where are we going?"

"We need to speak with Headmistress Holbrooke about the… issue at hand," she said, making it quite clear that the circumstances between them were not to be mentioned until they were in a safe place.

Akko said nothing. She followed Diana down the many stairwells and long hallway to Headmistress Holbrooke's office.

Once there, Diana took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles against the door.

"You may enter," came the familiar voice of the Headmistress.

The two witches pushed through the door to find Headmistress Holbrooke and Professor Ursula hunched over the heavy wooden desk, analyzing what looked like course paperwork.

"My apologies for interrupting," Diana said, throwing a nervous glance at Professor Ursula. "I need to speak to you regarding an urgent matter that involves both myself and Akko."

Headmistress Holbrooke nodded, settling back into her chair. Professor Ursula began to gather her paperwork.

"Wait," Akko said, glancing between Diana and the Headmistress. "I'd like Professor Ursula to stay."

"Akko." Diana sighed. "That could potentially be dangerous."

"She might be able to help," Akko countered, meeting Professor Ursula's eyes and giving her a reassuring smile. "Besides, she's been with me through everything. I think she should know, either way."

Diana nodded. Professor Ursula, both confused and complimented, simply smiled and placed her paperwork back on the desk.

Headmistress Holbrooke hesitated, folding her hands on top of her desk and staring intently at Diana. "Does this have any relation to what occurred yesterday?"

"Yes," Diana confirmed. "And the evening in which Akko was brought to your office." Without waiting for another response, she launched into the whole story, beginning with the shadowy figure that had pushed Akko from the observatory and ending with the discovery of the marks on both herself and Akko.

Akko listened quietly, clutching her chest at the phantom pains that stabbed her ribcage at the description of her injury. She kept her eyes on Professor Ursula's fidgeting hands, finding reassurance in the familiar presence of her mentor.

"Oh, my," Professor Ursula said as Diana finished. "The Order of Aurelion? I've never even heard of this cult."

"I have," Headmistress Holbrooke replied. She rose from her seat and shook her head, white curls bouncing. "They are very dangerous. Very dangerous, indeed. I was under the impression the Ministry of Magic had banished all known members to another realm. They are a serious threat to our livelihood. Necromancy is a crime that can cause monumental damage to the very essence of magic." With the final statement, she offered a small smile to Akko. "There are certain exceptions, of course."

"And your brother?" Ursula nervously pulled her glasses from her eyes and wiped them on her sleeve. "I was unaware you had a sibling, Miss Cavendish. What role does he have in this?"

"Of that, I am not certain," Diana admitted. "Which is why I ask your immediate dismissal from Luna Nova. I must return to Cavendish Manor to find the source of the Order's revival. And, forgive me for saying so, but I believe that is my duty considering it is my sibling who seems to be at the very foundation of this threat."

Headmistress Holbrooke nodded. "Although I hesitate, I do agree with you, Miss Cavendish. And Miss Kagari?"

Diana cleared her throat, cutting Akko off before she could speak. "I believe she will be safest here at Luna Nova. The school has certain restrictions that will provide some level of security."

"Security?" Akko blurted, leveling her gaze on Diana in disbelief. "They've already _been_ here, Diana. I'm not staying here. I've been with you every step of the way and I'm not stopping now." She paused, turning her eyes to the Headmistress. "I'm going with Diana."

"No, Akko—" Diana started.

"Wait." Professor Ursula raised a hand, sliding her glasses back onto her nose. "I believe Akko—er, Miss Kagari—has a point. I understand that you want to keep her safe, but I believe it is far more dangerous for you to go alone. The both of you have shown what you can accomplish together."

Diana said nothing. She pursed her lips and looked down at her shoes as though in thought.

Headmistress Holbrooke sighed, placing her palms on her desk in resignation. "I believe you're right, Professor Ursula. Girls, I will have the remainder of your exams delayed until your return. When were you planning on leaving, Miss Cavendish?"

Diana tensed her jaw. Her cold blue eyes flickered from Akko, to Professor Ursula, and finally to Headmistress Holbrooke. She took a deep breath and said, "Tonight."

* * *

"What do you mean you're leaving tonight?" Lotte asked as she threw her Magical Numerology textbook down. Her magnified eyes widened in disbelief. "What's going on, Akko? I thought you were staying at Luna Nova for the holiday."

"It's something I can't really talk about," Akko said as she threw clothing at random into her bag. She paused, looking up to smile at Lotte in what she hoped her friend would interpret as remorse. "And it's not because I don't want to. You're my best friends, I would tell you if I could."

Lotte shook her head, hair spraying across her forehead. "And you're going with _Diana_?"

Sucy had turned in her chair. "That all seems really strange," she said, ignoring the potion that was bubbling over and burning holes in the potholder it was sitting on. "Even for you, Akko."

Akko scanned the room for anything she might possibly need. At the last moment, she flipped open the polished oak box that held her beloved Shiny Chariot cards and began sorting through them. Upon finding the card she was looking for, she shoved it into her pocket and directed her attention back to her friends. "It's all going to be okay," she promised the two witches who couldn't hide the incredulous scowls on their faces. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back." _If_ she got back, but Akko didn't dare say that. No, she was confident that she and Diana could get through whatever the Order of Aurelion threw at them. After all, they'd already defied the mass destruction that was the Noir Missile.

"You'd better," Lotte mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Be safe, Akko."

"I will." Akko grinned and threw her arms around her friends, squeezing a surprised Lotte and a disgruntled Sucy tight. "Have a good holiday!" She backed off, grabbing her hat and tucking it onto her head. "And try not to worry about me."

"But it's in my very nature to be worried," Sucy drawled, monotone voice laced with sarcasm. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Akko chuckled, grabbing her bag and making for the door. "I'll miss you guys!"

"Wait, Akko." Lotte grabbed Akko's sleeve as she was halfway over the threshold. She picked Akko's wand up off her sloppily made bed and held it out to her.

"You might want this."

* * *

Diana was already waiting atop the observatory when Akko stumbled up the last step, panting heavily and dragging her bag behind her. At the sight of the flustered Japanese witch, she shook her head.

"Akko, I instructed you to pack light. We're already at capacity with two people on a single broom."

"This is light!" Akko exclaimed, tossing her bag to the side with a satisfied huff.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut, sighing deeply. There was no time for Akko to return to her room to deposit items. They'd already let an entire day slip out of their hands. She pulled her wand from its holster and waved it over the bag. " _Pluma pondus_." A soothing green light slid from the top of the wand to cover the bag in a warm glow before fading entirely. Akko stared at the bag, eyebrow raised.

"That did nothing," she said.

"Pick it up," Diana told her. "It only lasts for a certain amount of time, so the spell will likely have to be cast again mid-flight."

Akko grabbed the strap of the bag and was surprised to find that it weighed almost… nothing. The skin between her eyes folded in confusion. "Huh. You could've told me that was an option. I would've packed way more stuff!"

Diana rolled her eyes, but was unable to stop the ghost of a smile that fell over her lips. "Let's get going, Akko." She mounted her broom.

Akko slipped her arms through the straps of her bags, double checking to make sure they were there and strapped down tight because there wasn't any pressure against her skin. She could feel her heart quickening as she eyed the back of Diana's head. The soft blonde and tea-green waves that billowed from beneath her hat were bathed in the gentle glow of the moon above.

"Um, Diana?"

Diana turned. The light struck her eyes in a way that made the blue hue almost grey. A sky's threat of a distant summer storm. The outline of her pale features made her seem almost surreal, otherworldly. Like the beautiful, mysterious witches of Akko's favorite childhood movies.

Akko's breath hitched in her throat. "Are we going to be okay?"

Diana said nothing. The shadow that passed over her face spoke for her. She turned, waiting for Akko to mount behind her before quietly murmuring, " _Tia Freyre_."

The two witches were silent as the broom rose steadily into the air. But, as Akko's arms slid around Diana's waist and the soothing warmth of shared magic pulsed between them, Akko suddenly felt as though everything was going to be just fine.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes from the Author**

Where I intentionally ignore the fact that Akko walked to Diana's house.

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 _Pickled Plums_

Akko was passed out.

Diana relaxed into her wrists, guiding the broomstick gently through the sky as she scanned the landscape below. The night was calm and quiet, the only sound being the wind whistling around them as they flew on. Below them, the moonlight cast an eerie reflection off the great Thames. The river, cutting a wide path through the flickering lights of humanity, was Diana's reference of a halfway point.

The air around them was cold at such an altitude, but the weight of Akko against her back brought her warmth. The girl's head was resting on Diana's shoulder, gentle breath tickling her neck as Akko slept peacefully. She had been resting for quite some time, giving Diana respite in the silence of the near-winter night.

In the monotonous homeward flight, she let her mind wander.

Diana was struggling to remember the last time she'd seen her brother. She strained to recall any kind of fond memory, but the two had never been close as children. Damien was significantly different than she was. While Diana lived a life of solitude with intense concentration on her studies and regaining her magical abilities, Damien did the opposite. He was hard-headed and often running wild with other boys from his primary school, using his magic in ways that landed him in trouble more often than not. Diana could recall dashing through the hollow halls of the Cavendish Manor more than once, struggling to escape the tauntingly close spells and barrage of laughter from her older brother.

But she couldn't focus on Damien for long.

No, not with Akko's body so close to hers.

She couldn't define the exact moment that she fell so deep into those glimmering red eyes. It could have been upon the joining of their hands as they summoned the Shiny Arc to defeat the Noir Missile. It could have been the sight of Akko shivering in Blytonbury, the one moment Diana had seen her so alone, so eviscerated, so raw. It could have been when Akko rescued her from Aunt Daryl's snakes and brought sense and comfort to her empty home, or when she rode on wit and sheer bravery to defeat Vajorois in a daring break of tradition.

It could have been _any_ of those moments.

It could have been _all_ of them.

It didn't matter.

And they were flying into a a dire situation of unknown danger, but Diana knew she would do anything it took to keep Akko safe.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and let herself smile.

A tug of gravity brought Diana's attention back to flight. Feeling the hard pull of the broomstick, she knew it was about time to re-cast the spell for Akko's bag. Otherwise, the weight would pull their altitude too low, dangerously close to the flight paths of commercial planes.

She pulled out her wand, careful not to roll her shoulders too much and disturb Akko, and reached behind her, ignoring the discomfort of the awkward angle. Placing the tip of the wand against Akko's bag, she whispered, "Pluma pondus."

The warmth of magic flowed down her wrist, through the wand, and over the bag. The tip of the broomstick angled upward at the release of tension, pulling them back up to the desired height.

Diana slipped the wand back into her holster, accidentally bumping Akko's elbow in the movement.

Akko stirred, gently squeezing the warm body she was wrapped around. Her drowsy eyelids flickered as she took in the face inches from her own and smiled. "Mm, hey," she murmured, sleep lacing her soft voice.

Diana's stomach lurched into a tangled mess at the soft crimson eyes blinking up at her and she unintentionally jerked the broomstick to the side. In an effort to compose herself, she cleared her throat and forced herself to look straight ahead. She felt Akko loosen her grip and sit up.

"Where are we?" Akko asked.

"We just flew over the Thames," Diana replied, pulling the broom a bit higher and leaning forward to increase the speed she'd let drop off in her own unintentional relaxation. "A little over halfway there. Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Akko said. Diana could hear the smile in her voice. "You're comfy."

Her insides did another jolt.

"You're not so bad yourself," she heard herself say. She swallowed hard, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes hard in embarrassment. If she had a free hand, she would have buried her burning face into it.

It didn't help that Akko said nothing.

Instead, she felt the pads of Akko's fingers gently touch the back of her neck.

 _Nine, help me_ , she mentally begged with a sharp intake of breath.

"Diana," Akko murmured behind her. "Your mark is glowing."

"What?" She turned her head, though she knew she wouldn't be able to see her own mark.

Akko had dropped her hand from Diana's neck and was reaching around to see her own. "Is mine?"

"I—I can't see," Diana said, feeling the broomstick alter its course with her twisting body.

"Diana," Akko said again, growing still behind her.

"Yes?"

"Where did the stars go?"

Diana looked up. They were above the clouds, so there was nothing to block their view of the universe above. But Akko was right, there were no stars. Instead, the sky was a muddled gray for as far as their eyes could see.

Akko was rotating her torso on the broomstick, straining to look around.

"Akko, please stop, you're going to change our course," Diana scolded. But she had to acknowledge that something wasn't quite _right_.

"There's someone following us," Akko said suddenly.

Diana glanced behind them. Akko was right. About a hundred meters behind them, two figures were zooming toward them. The gap between them was closing rapidly.

"Akko, hang on," Diana said. She leaned deep into the broomstick and urged it forward. She felt Akko's grip tighten around her waist as the wind began whistling louder in their ears. Tears sprang from the corners of her eyes and streaked across her cheeks as their speed drastically increased.

But the weight of the two witches was slowing them down. There was no way they could outrun their pursuers.

The broomstick lurched violently to the side as Akko twisted her body in a drastic movement.

"What are you _doing_?" Diana screamed into the wind.

"I'm throwing pickled plums!" Akko yelled back as her body made another quick jerk. "Ha! Got one."

"You brought pickled plums on the leyline?" Diana shouldn't have been surprised. She steadied the broomstick with Akko's continuous fast-pitch imitation and pulled out her wand, ready for a fight.

The two figures were licking at their heels. In a final burst of speed, they pulled alongside the two witches. Their black cloaks streamed out behind them. Their faces were still unrecognizable for the plain black masks pulled down over their eyes.

Akko reeled back with another pickled plum and slammed it into the mask of one cult follower. He faltered momentarily but quickly regained his speed.

There was not much they could do in the air. Diana grit her teeth and sped on.

A hand snaked out from under a robe and grabbed the front of the broomstick, yanking it violently to one side. Akko's weight dipped, but she managed to catch the fabric of Diana's cloak in her hand to steady herself at the last moment.

The figures were too close to use magic. Anything they did would blast them out of the air. The fight became physical as Diana grappled to regain control of her broom, struggling to overcome the strength of her attacker. Behind her, she could feel Akko wrestling with the figure on the other side.

Diana pulled back with one arm and sent the tip of her wand smashing into the person's bare hand. They reeled back in pain, buying some reaction time that Diana used to dip at a sharp angle, the sudden change of altitude momentarily losing their pursuers above them.

Akko threw the entire jar of pickled plums, which shattered in a deflected blow off the tip of one figure's broomstick. "What a waste!" she yelled.

Their attackers angled their flight path down and quickly caught back up with Diana and Akko. The two veered out, away from them.

"What are they doing?" Akko asked.

There was no time to respond. The two pursuers came crashing in on them, slamming the witches between their bodies.

Diana cried out at the pain of being crushed between them, but her hands stayed firmly wrapped around the broomstick, knuckles white with the effort.

"Diana!"

Akko's arms slid from around Diana's waist with a few desperate swipes before she went tumbling from the broom.

"Akko!"

Diana brought her arm in and slammed her elbow back into the mask of one attacker. Ignoring the sharp pain in her arm from the connection, she jerked herself free of the other and sped down, eyes focused only on Akko, who was tumbling through the clouds in a freefall.

She could hear the roar of a plane. It was loud, close. She flew through the dense vapor, disorienting her pursuers with the lack of visibility. But she never lost sight of Akko.

When she emerged from the clouds, she could see that the plane was headed straight at them.

Diana locked her jaw in concentration and leaned deeper still. The broom shot forward. Tears clouded her vision. Her hair whipped violently behind her. She was closing in on Akko. Her attackers were closing in on her. The plane was closing in on _all_ of them.

With one final, desperate push, Diana zipped forward and reached out her hand to snag Akko's wrist. The pursuers followed.

And, holding onto Akko with all the strength she could muster, she dropped her torso back, jerked the tip of the broom upward, and shot straight into the air just as the plane rushed into where they had hovered only moments ago. The exact place that the two figures still found themselves when the aircraft barreled into them. Akko watched as both their bodies and their brooms scattered through the air.

Diana didn't wait to see if her plan had worked. She pulled Akko back onto the broom, where the dazed and quivering witch settled into her back with a death grip on her waist. She urged the broom to max speed as she reconnected with the leyline and blazed onward.

"I think they're gone," Akko said after a few minutes, feeling Diana's chest still heaving from exhaustion of the effort.

"How can you be sure?" Diana asked.

Akko relaxed her grip against Diana, still trying to catch her breath as she pushed Diana's hair to the side and said, "The mark isn't glowing anymore."

* * *

Their legs felt like jelly when they hit the ground and stepped from the broomstick.

Akko rolled her shoulders back and lifted her hands into the air in a stretch. "Man, that was rough," she said. She twisted her torso and listened for the satisfying crack of her spine. "And I have to pee _so_ bad. We could have made at least one stop."

"I don't think that would have been wise." Diana bounced on her toes to try to relieve the tension in her sore legs. "We weren't exactly in a safe environment."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Akko muttered. "Rest in peace, pickled plums."

"Those things are foul anyway," Diana replied as she looked up at the manor house looming before them. Though the sunrise was threatening to peak over the horizon, night pervaded the plot of land, leaving the house an eerie monument against a dark sky. There was a single light on in the front hall. Diana took a deep breath and headed down the stone path to the front door.

"Where is everyone?" Akko asked as she trailed behind, slowly taking in the familiar sight of the Cavendish Manor. Everything looked different in the dark, but it was still as she remembered. Cold and unwelcoming.

"Anna should be awaiting us. I was able to send a message to precede our arrival," Diana said. She pulled open the heavy door and held it for Akko.

As Akko stepped into the familiar front hall, she found herself amazed by the grandeur of the mansion, despite having been there before. The ancient artifacts of generations gone, the many paintings of unicorns and scenes of medics rushing into battle. The only difference was that the dust and cobwebs were gone. The house was meticulously clean.

"Ah, Lady Diana," a familiar voice greeted them.

Anna rose from where she had been seated in a particularly uncomfortable looking high-backed chair against the wall. She greeted Diana with a small bow.

"Anna," Diana replied, straightening her posture and nodding. "Thank you for staying up so late."

"It was my pleasure," Anna said, though Akko was of the opinion she didn't look very pleased at all. Dark bags hung beneath the older woman's eyes, and the smile that she urged across her lips looked strained and fake. "I see you brought a… guest," she continued. "Miss Kagari." If Anna hadn't looked happy before, now she looked even _less_ happy. "I wasn't informed you would have company, my lady."

"My apologies, Anna. My message was in haste. Has my aunt been informed of my arrival?" Diana removed her hat and cloak and leaned her broomstick next to an empty coat rack.

"Yes, my lady. She is expecting the both of you at breakfast in the morning."

Akko's bag suddenly felt heavy on her shoulders and she realized that the spell Diana had cast had worn off. She shifted under the unexpected weight, mouth cracking open in a loud yawn. "Man, I'm exhausted from being att—uh, flying all night."

"Akko, please cover your mouth," Diana scolded, taking in Anna's frown. "Anna, would you mind showing Akko to her room? I think it would be appropriate for us to get a few hours of rest after the long flight."

"Of course, my lady," Anna replied, bending once more in a courteous bow. "Young lady, if you'll please follow me to your accommodations."

The room Anna led her to was Diana's old room, the same she'd stayed in the first time she'd been at the Cavendish Manor. She dropped her bag next to the bed, running her fingers along the spines of books lining in the inlaid bookshelf. She could hear the door of the adjacent room opening and shutting gently, the sound of footsteps as Diana herself prepared to get some rest.

Rest. Rest would be nice.

Akko changed and slid under the starched covers, sighing deeply as she turned on the too-firm pillow and gazed out the window at the orange light beginning to reach over the horizon. The sky above was still dark. Akko could make out a few of her favorite constellations where she lay.

But sleep came with difficulty. Her mind wandered to the lurch in her gut as she tumbled from the observatory, the impact of the Behemoth as she felt her ribs cave and snap inside her, the desperate sensation of falling, falling, waiting for everything and nothing at all.

This wasn't her comfortable bed at Luna Nova. She couldn't hear Sucy's gentle snores or Lotte's sleepy mumblings.

When her eyes finally drifted shut, she was back in the sky, leaning against Diana's warm back and breathing deep the scent of lavender and rosemary.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes from the Author**

Feelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeelsfeels

the black and white | the band camino

^ if you want to double the feels

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 _Damien Cavendish_

The smell of bacon was enough to rouse Akko from a sleep that felt way longer than the few hours she managed to get. Early morning light was streaming through the window, bathing her half uncovered body in warmth.

Akko stood. The floor was cold against her bare feet, which wasn't a completely unwelcome sensation. From her window, she could see the reflection of sunlight off the gently rippling water of the moat surrounding the manor, the graceful stone unicorn rising into the heavens with the philosopher's stone set firmly in its horn. The view made her think about her first visit and the desperation she had felt as she tried to get her friend to realize her dreams and return to Luna Nova.

The joy she felt when Diana _did_ return to Luna Nova.

A gentle knock on the bedroom door drew her attention away from the view. The door cracked open, Diana's welcome voice drifting through. "Akko? Are you decent?"

"Yeah. Come in," Akko said. She turned away from the window and ran her fingers through her messy hair just as Diana walked in and quietly shut the door behind her. She was already dressed, but not in her Luna Nova uniform. Instead, she wore a well-fitted pair of brown slacks with a white blouse tucked neatly in, a real life picture of old British money. Her hair was pulled back, a few unruly strands draping around the soft lines of her cheeks. Akko let her eyes rest on the pale skin of Diana's neck, the shadow beneath her collarbone, the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath. She felt her breath grow shallow.

"Good morning." Diana glanced around her old room, taking in the tousled sheets of the bed and the unkempt girl standing next to it. "Are you nearly ready? We've got quite a bit to accomplish today and Anna is almost finished making breakfast."

"Yeah, smells great," Akko said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. "I'm starving. Let's go."

"Akko, I hate to be rather square, but if you don't mind, could you change into something more… presentable?" Diana asked, knowing Anna would drop over dead if Akko went anywhere near her in shorts that… well, short.

"Oh." Akko chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing at her bag. "I think I packed something a little nicer."

Diana tried not to stare as Akko bent down and rifled through her massive bag, chucking clothes haphazardly out behind her. Guilt stabbed at her gut and she quickly looked away, fidgeting with her polished gold belt buckle.

"Uh, Diana?"

Diana blinked up to find Akko staring at her with an armful of clothes.

"Yes, Akko?"

A sheepish smile spread across Akko's lips. "Uh, would you mind?"

"Right. Oh. Right." Diana whirled to hide the heat that flared across her cheeks. "I'll see you at breakfast." She grabbed the doorknob and hastily left the room, trying, unsuccessfully, to wipe the image of Akko in the world's smallest shorts out of her mind.

* * *

By the time Akko stepped into the dining room and took a seat next to Diana, everybody was already present. Her plate was piled high with bacon, sausages, eggs, roasted tomatoes on buttered toast, and black pudding. Her stomach growled again.

"I figured you were hungry," Diana said, "so I had Anna give you extra."

"Thanks," Akko mumbled, her mouth already stuffed with half the sausage.

Lady Daryl peered at Akko over her teacup, cold blue eyes narrowing at the sight of the all-too-familiar Japanese witch. "A pleasure to see you again, Akko," she said, though the venom in her voice said otherwise. Meryl and Maryl said nothing, silently pecking away at their meals as they watched Akko and Diana with unsettling stares.

"Same, I guess," Akko muttered between bites of toast.

Aunt Daryl could barely hide the displeasure in her expression. "Now that we are all gathered—Anna, would you mind?"

Anna offered a small bow from where she stood and slipped through the door to the kitchen, shutting it quietly behind her.

"As I was saying, now that we're all gathered, would you mind sharing the reason for your unexpected—albeit welcome-" Aunt Daryl coughed into her hand, "visit?"

Diana chewed slowly as she set her silverware to the side of her plate and dabbed the corner of her mouth with a starched cloth napkin. "Aunt Daryl, there is no need for you to force pleasantries. I am well acquainted with the charade that may fool visitors. However, I am certain that you recall the circumstances surrounding my previous visit and—well, to be blunt, let's not play these games."

"I remember very well." Aunt Daryl scowled. "Get to the point then, Diana."

"I'm here about Damien."

"Damien?" Aunt Daryl raised a blonde eyebrow. "What of him?"

Diana took a deep breath. "I have reason to believe that Damien is planning something that involves our House," she stated matter-of-factly. "Earlier this week, he revealed himself during a school exercise. Akko was there." Diana threw a glance to Akko, who nodded with a stuffed mouth. Her plate was nearly empty already. "I would like to know the circumstances surrounding his exile to find the purpose behind his appearance."

"Damien," Aunt Daryl said again, looking perturbed. She took a sip of her tea, turning to Maryl and Meryl. "Girls, could you please excuse yourselves?"

"But, mother—" begged Maryl, or maybe Meryl, Akko didn't know the difference.

"I said," Aunt Daryl's voice was stern, "get _out_."

Scowling, the two girls roughly pushed themselves from the table and left the room. Akko was certain they were outside the door with their ears pressed up against it, but had already promised herself that she would keep the confrontations to a minimum for her second visit to the Cavendish Manor.

"Damien was exiled shortly after your mother passed," Aunt Daryl said, her voice much lower and much more nervous than Akko had ever heard it. "The Ministry of Magic banished him to another realm, where I learned he later affiliated himself with a following. I can't recall the name."

"The Order of Aurelion," Diana stated.

"That may be it." Aunt Daryl was staring into her teacup with a glaze over her usually vindictive blue eyes. "Anyway, there is no possible way you could have seen him. He was stripped of his magical ability before being cast out." She paused, sighing deeply as she stared down at her half-eaten plate of food. She looked… distraught? Akko narrowed her eyes, chewing thoughtfully as she observed Diana's aunt.

"Damien is a scar upon the Cavendish name, Diana," Aunt Daryl continued, pushing herself away from the table. "I apologize, but I find it difficult to speak of him. You may find what you are seeking in the archives. Do what you must, but please do not disrupt the daily affairs of the house."

"What was that all about?" Akko asked after Aunt Daryl had left the room, glancing sideways at Diana, who looked equally confused. "She got super upset."

"I'm not certain," Diana said. After a moment of silence, she pushed her plate away. "I can feel you listening. Please, come in."

Anna slipped into the room, her head bowed submissively as she took her place at the head of the table. "You have my apologies for eavesdropping, my lady. However, with your permission, and though I feel they may come heavy, I believe I could provide answers to some of your questions. You wish to know more about your brother, am I correct?"

Diana rested her hands on the edge of the table and tilted her chin up in acknowledgement. "Please, have a seat, Anna."

Anna pulled out a chair and sat, back uncomfortably straight. Her dark eyes flicked between Akko and Diana as she began speaking. "Damien Cavendish was an unruly boy, but he had no ill intentions," she began. "He teased you quite often, my lady, but he did love you. And especially Lady Bernadette."

Diana nodded at the mention of her mother. Akko heard her take a deep breath.

Anna's wrinkled lips moved as though she didn't know how to broach the next topic. After a moment, she continued. "He was distraught at your mother's passing. They were very close."

Diana felt the pang of jealousy that was so frequent in her childhood. As the first born, Damien could do no wrong in her mother's eyes. "Go on, Anna."

"I fear he may have resorted to dark magic in his distress. He was young and impressionable, I have reason to believe there was outside influence for his actions, though I'm not certain."

"Necromancy," Akko said, her eyes widening. "He—he raised Diana's—"

"Yes," Anna confirmed. She bowed her head once more, understandably avoiding Diana's faraway stare. "He did."

Akko could feel Diana's magic mingling with her own. It was dull, throbbing with confused sorrow. She sensed her friend's unease, her need for comfort. Without thinking, she reached out and took Diana's hand in her own, squeezing gently. Diana's fingers clenched down on Akko's palm.

Diana wet her lips and drew a heavy breath. "Continue," she said.

"It was—" Anna's voice broke. "A success. Your brother had your very talent, possibly more, even, if you'll forgive me saying so. He was highly skilled and left little room for error. You were so young. We were able to shield you from the events that took place."

"Events," Diana mused, as if tasting the word on her tongue. "Tell me."

"My lady, I am not sure—"

Diana lifted her gaze. Akko could see the tears shimmering in her bright blue eyes. "Tell me," she repeated.

"Your mother came back. But she was different. Wrong. Necromancy is very dark magic, and while your brother's intentions were benevolent, that magic knows naught but evil." Anna was wringing her hands together. "Damien hid Lady Bernadette for some time. Your father had already passed years before and there was only myself and Lady Daryl to care for the both of you. We had no reason to know that what we assumed was a boy going off to play had anything to do with the dark arts."

Akko was listening intently. Although she had seen what magic could do when everything went very wrong, she was unfamiliar with many of the hidden evils that existed.

"Lady Daryl was the one to discover Bernadette. I was not present. I know only of what Lady Daryl relayed to me."

Diana said nothing. She was staring down at her hands.

Akko hesitated. She gave Diana's hand another squeeze and said, "What happened?"

"Lady Bernadette was suffering. Lady Daryl said she was malicious and animalistic, and I know her appearance was… different, though she never elaborated. She was forced to—to return Lady Bernadette to the grave. Your brother was soon after brought to justice by the Ministry of Magic and exiled. Of his return to this world and his intentions, I cannot speak."

Anna folded her hands in front of her and hitched her chin, sighing deeply. After a long moment of silence, she rose and returned her chair beneath the table. "If I may be excused, my lady, there are needs I must attend to, and I would rather Lady Daryl not know of this conversation."

Diana didn't move. Akko could see her jaw clenching and rolling. She was afraid the circulation in her hand was going to be cut off with how hard Diana was squeezing it. Upon realizing Anna wasn't going anywhere without permission, Akko finally spoke up for everyone. "Thank you, Anna."

The door shut gently behind Anna and the room grew silent.

Akko didn't know what to say. She had never lost a parent, much less experienced anything as dark as _this_. She folded her other hand over Diana's, opting to say nothing at all.

After a few moments, Diana pulled her hand away from Akko's and rose. Silent tears were streaking down her cheeks and Akko felt the urge to wipe them away. She didn't move.

"If you don't mind, I would like some time by myself," Diana said.

Without another word, she rose and left the room, leaving Akko alone in a room clouded with the uncovered ghosts of the Cavendish family.

* * *

Akko could hear nothing in the room next door.

She was tired of pacing her room, mind running wild with theories, with possible outcomes, with complete bewilderment, with anxiety and worry for Diana that felt like the ceaseless gnawing of a hundred rats in her gut. Her fists clenched and she shoved them roughly into the bed Anna had made sometime during her time elsewhere, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut, hard.

She had come along to help Diana defeat the great unknown. She had come to offer as much protection as she could. She had come to fight, and whether that was the cloaked figures that tracked them across the world or the demons of Diana's family history, that was exactly what she would do.

Sitting around doing nothing was _not_ on the itinerary.

It was nearly noon. Unable to suffer through the anxiety crawling under her skin any longer, Akko left her own room and tentatively knocked on the door to Diana's.

"Akko?"

Akko nudged the door open, chewing at a piece of skin on her lip as her eyes fell on Diana. She was sitting on her bed, hair pulled down and a little disheveled but otherwise the normal, poised girl that she usually was.

"Can I—"

"Yes."

Akko took a deep breath and stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Her eyes trailed around the bare room, which held little more than a plain oak vanity and the four-poster bed that Diana was sitting on. Some of Diana's personal effects had been arranged neatly on the dresser along with some folded clothing items. There wasn't even a rug, and the cold floor nipped at Akko's feet through her socks.

Coming to Diana's room seemed like the obvious thing to do, but now that she was there, she had no idea what to do or say. Her heart was racing a little too much for her comfort, so she walked to the vanity and gently placed her hand on the edge, finger caressing the smooth wood.

"I'm sorry," Diana said. Her voice was near a whisper. Akko lifted her gaze to find Diana looking back at her. Her blue eyes were wide, sad. She had only seen Diana like this once before and that time, too, was at the Cavendish manor. Akko was starting to hate the place that seemed to sap her friend's happiness like a hungry mosquito. "It was a lot to take in," she added.

"You don't ever have to be sorry." Akko let her hand fall back to her side. There was so much that she wanted to do, wanted to say. She wanted to pull Diana into her arms and hold her until every worry and every horrible thing just fell away. Her feet were pulling her there, moving like one of Constanze's automated machines, but instead of doing what she wished she would, she simply sat next to Diana and held her hands in her lap. The magic sparked between them, and for a moment Akko was sure she saw a flicker of green. Her insides wrenched. "I would be upset, too," she said at last.

Diana turned her head away, a few thick strands of blonde falling around her temple to hide her eyes from Akko. Her back was rounded as she pressed her hands against her knees, a far cry from the perfect posture that was her norm.

Akko lifted her hand, tempted to push the hair from Diana's eyes, but instead slowly returned it to her lap. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes," Diana said. They both sensed it wasn't the truth, but sometimes saying that it was could be enough to at least make it a little longer. Akko knew that well. "Just… stay here, would you?"

Akko nodded. For a long time, the two sat, side-by-side. Akko kept her eyes on her lap, all too aware of the feeling of their legs pressed together, but she didn't dare move.

An almost undetectable brush on her thigh lifted her gaze to find Diana's pinky rested gently on her leg. Diana didn't look up, but Akko could see the blush burning in her cheeks.

Akko's heart was hammering in her throat. She felt a foreign kind of heat flaring beneath her skin, her mouth was dry, her head was swimming, everything felt so weird but so _good_. She reached forward slowly, terrified that any kind of quick movement would scare Diana away, and tentatively wrapped her own pinky around the one being offered. A tiny bit of green sparked at the connection.

She tilted her head back and set her jaw hard, sighing deeply as tendrils of magic and something else, something _deeper_ , rolled through her body like waves gently lapping the shore.

Neither spoke.

Neither moved.

They stayed there, each gently rolling their finger against the soft skin of the other in a feather-light touch, both wondering how something so small could make everything else feel so far away.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 _Grave_

"I'm not sure what we could possibly find in here, but I'm hopeful that there's more than the Luna Nova library," Diana said as she leaned an old wooden ladder against a very tall bookshelf and began to cautiously climb.

"I would hope so, considering you go back to one of the Nine Olde Witches." Akko held the bottom of the ladder as she watched Diana running her fingers over the spines of ancient looking books.

It was the second time Akko had been in the Cavendish archives, and she was still in awe of its size. Bookshelves spanned the walls, wrapping around the circular room in an endless stretch of history and literature.

"We need information on the Order of Aurelion and the Martian Eclipse," Diana stated, though more to herself than Akko. She drew away from the bookshelf and sneezed into her sleeve as years' worth of dust invaded her nostrils. The ladder rocked beneath her, but Akko held it firm. "I must have Anna come in here and dust at some point," she said with a sniffle.

"Why does your family have books on the dark arts?" Akko asked, taking a bite of the roll she'd confiscated from the lunch table and shoving the rest into the back pocket of her jeans. "Seems weird."

Diana pulled a prospective tome from the shelf and examined it for a moment before shoving it back into place. "A healer should be trained on all aspects of the physical and magical world," she told Akko. "You wouldn't believe the amount of curses an afflictions my ancestors had to deal with. This was long before the Ministry of Magic was established and rules were set in place, obviously. Akko, could you _please_ hold the ladder?"

"Oh. Mmm, right." Akko placed both of her hands back on the ladder and held it as she watched Diana inspect another book.

"This may be of some use." Diana tucked the book under her arm and carefully descended the ladder. "Let's go take a look."

Akko followed Diana to a large stone table. Pulling the roll back out of her pocket, she bit into it and chewed thoughtfully as she stood and stared down at the book.

"Magical Ailments and Curses, an Encyclopedia from A to Z," Akko read, spraying a few crumbs out of her mouth. "Nice."

Diana raised her eyes to stare at Akko feasting away on a flaky biscuit. "Akko, seriously?"

"What?" Akko asked, gulping down the bread.

"Did you swipe that from my kitchen?"

Akko shrugged. "Well, yeah, where else?"

Diana sighed, turning her attention back to the book as Akko sat down across from her. "By the Nine, you drive me crazy," she muttered.

"Same." Akko hummed, crossing her arms on the table in front of her and leaning in to watch Diana flip through the pages until she reached Necromancy.

Diana felt the tips of her ears turn red. She made sure not to look at Akkio, instead keeping her head down, forcing her focus to the tiny letters on the page. She trailed her finger through the words until she found what she was looking for. She began reading out loud.

"Necromancy is one of the darkest arts of magic and is forbidden through ancient magical laws tracing back to 500 B.C. Utilizing these sorceries has been shown to form a fissure within the magical realms, causing a saturation of dark magic that can invade the spells of any users within the afflicted area. The resulting effects will stack a higher ratio of dark magic in expanding areas, in which consequences include realm crossovers seen in the form of demons, poltergeists, and other banished species."

"Uh…" Akko blinked up at Diana. "What's that mean?"

Diana sighed, running over the many ways she could explain this to Akko, who was already at a handicap coming from a non-magical family. Finally, the corner of her lips lifted in a smirk. "Bad magic make bad monster."

"Ah." Akko nodded, leaning back. "Wait, are you joking on me?"

Diana chuckled, shaking her head at the Japanese witch. "Of course not. Why would I ever do that?"

"Oh, I'm Diana Cavendish, I'm the smartest witch in the world!" Akko mocked, straightening her back and staring across the table with a haughty sneer pasted on her face. "All bow!"

"Akko, I have _never_ asked anyone to bow," Diana said, covering her mouth with her hand and letting loose a restrained laugh.

Akko's smile spread into a wide grin. "Maybe you should start, you've got a ton of girls at that school who would jump at the chance."

Diana's smirk fell to a thoughtful smile as she took in Akko's cheerful red eyes. "Maybe, but there's only one I care about. I don't think she'd _bow_ to me, though."

Akko's eyes widened. She swallowed hard, feeling the heat rising to her rapidly flushing face. "I—I—uh, so, Necromancy, right?" She looked down.

Diana could feel herself blushing. She brought her attention back to the text and started scanning again. "In addition to the effects on the magical realms, the user of the spell sacrifices their soul. This effect can take place immediately or cause the soul to deteriorate over time, the results of which depending on the level of concentrated magic used to perform the spell."

"Well, geez," Akko muttered. "Guess that explains why your brother is such a jerk."

Diana tensed her jaw and gave Akko a look.

"Eh, sorry, too soon?"

"Yes, Akko," Diana scolded. "That was incredibly insensitive."

"Sorry," Akko mumbled, shrinking into the hard stone chair.

"It's alright," Diana responded, continuing through the text. "Results of necromancy on the raised target will depend on the severity of intent from the caster. Effects will consist of advanced levels of decay, intense pain throughout the body, unintentional self-injury, a manifestation of dark thoughts, deterioration of neurological function, and, in worst case scenarios, homicidal tend—"

Diana trailed off as she read, eyebrows scrunching together.

"Are you okay?" Akko asked, leaning forward. "We can stop. This can wait."

"No, I'm fine," Diana said, reading on. "The only method of returning a target to a blissful state of death is the…" She swallowed hard. "Is decap—decapitation, as the spinal cord must—must be completely severed from the—"

"Diana, stop!" Akko yelled, snatching the book away from her friend and tossing it over her shoulder. "You're torturing yourself! You don't need to know that stuff. We're fighting your brother and his stupid cult, not the dead!"

"I—I just wanted to know," Diana stammered, closing her eyes and rubbing her temple. "Everything's fine, Akko, I'm alright."

"Bull," Akko grumbled. "Alright, well, we know enough about Necromancy. Let's move on so we can get this over with."

Diana nodded, reaching out for another book she had sitting on the table.

Akko stared at the familiar torn cover, raising an eyebrow. "Diana, did you steal that from the library?"

"I didn't steal it, I borrowed it." Diana flipped open to one of her bookmarks.

"Fine, using that logic, then, next time you find me with a tart after curfew, I borrowed it," Akko countered, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair with a smirk.

Diana rolled her eyes, not bothering to come back with anything. Instead, she read a paragraph that her finger fell on. "Though little is known of the Order of Aurelion, there is enough evidence to discern that the now large cult began with the gathering of a small group of Necromancers in the early 8th century. The Order was temporarily disbanded upon the banishment of leader Benedict Aurelion. Upon the exile of all known and suspected Necromancers, the Order was re-stablished by Aurelion in the Second Realm during the late 18th century and later grew to incorporate members of the Third and Fourth Realms, which consisted of witches and mages of lesser crimes.

The last known leader of the Order of Aurelion was Ekaterina Kuznetsov, who was banished in the mid-14th century. The Order has since cropped up in the First Realm in small parties in the 9th, 10th, and 12th centuries. Members possess no magical ability and have never posed a significant threat to the political, social, or economic spheres."

Akko hummed. "When was this book written?"

Diana flipped to the front page, frowning. "1498. I found it in the Ancient History section."

"So there's nothing recent on them," Akko said. "And nothing on what they _do_. So, it's, what, a Necromancer support group?" she huffed. "I'm Atsuko Kagari, and I'm a Necromancer," she mocked, then in a deeper voice added, "Hi, Atsuko!"

" _Akko_ ," Diana scolded. "Please."

"They don't even have _magic_ ," Akko replied.

Diana shook her head, closing the book. "They do, though. They flew, not to mention they raised that Behemoth. That must have taken an incredible effort of combined magic."

"They raised that thing?" Akko asked with a quirk of her eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"Behemoths are extinct. These are necromancers. One plus one, Akko."

"Right," Akko mumbled, pressing her finger to her chin in thought. "And the Martian Eclipse? What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know." Diana rose with a sigh, brushing the dust off the sleeves of her blouse.

"Well, when is it?" Akko asked.

"Four days from now. Tuesday."

Akko rose. "Alright. So we know that your brother tried to raise your mom—er, sorry," she said quickly when Diana lowered her eyes. "And we know that Necromancers are bad and make bad monsters, and this Order is made up of a bunch of bad guys who make really _big_ bad monsters, but what else do we know? What does your brother _want_?"

" _I am the rightful heir of the House of Cavendish_ ," Diana suddenly repeated. " _Or, I will be when the Martian Eclipse takes place_. Akko, he's going to go through the ritual!" Her nostrils flared at the sudden realization. "He's going to try to claim the House!"

"And what's that have to do with _anything_?" Akko muttered. "This all makes no sense."

"No, you don't understand, Akko. You're not from a magical background—don't look at my like that, I didn't mean that as an insult—it's just that you don't know the significance of being the Head of a Great House. You are given certain immunities within the magical world and carry a heavy political influence. Essentially, he would no longer be exiled. His magic would be returned." She shook her head in thought. "Beyond that, I have no idea. But you went through these texts with me, Akko. You met him. There is no soul there. Damien may be my brother and a Cavendish through blood, but there's no _humanity_."

"So then we just have to stop him. Or it," Akko said, shrugging. "No big deal."

"Yes," Diana said, planting her palms on the stone table and staring ahead with the same look of sheer determination that Akko had seen when Diana had stepped up to help take down the Noir Missile. "Damien, yes. And the Order of Aurelion. No big deal."

* * *

"Akko, how would you feel about doing something a little more relaxing today?" Diana asked the next morning when they had finished eating breakfast, where Akko had devoured two portions of blueberry waffles _and_ polished off what Diana couldn't finish.

"What's the definition of relaxing to a Cavendish?" Akko finished the rest of her tea in a loud gulp and swiped her lips with the sleeve of her sweater. "Actually, I'm kind of scared to find out."

Diana chuckled, gathering the plates for Anna. Aunt Daryl had already left earlier in the morning with her two cousins to go to town. Something about a holiday party she'd been planning, but Diana hadn't asked for fear of being accused of interfering. "There's somewhere I'd like to visit," she said. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."

"As if I'm going to let you wander around by yourself." Akko stood and pushed her chair in, reaching across the table to pull over the rest of the dirty dishes. "But what about everything else? And where are we going?"

Diana didn't answer. Instead, she just replied with, "Meet me outside in a few minutes, I have to speak to Anna briefly. It's a bit of a hike. Wear comfortable shoes." With that, she slipped out of the room to find Anna.

Akko hummed. The property was massive, with rolling hills of green grass and miles of forest all around. There were plenty of places they could go. Curious, she returned to her room to slip into a pair of comfortable sneakers.

"Come on," Diana urged, already standing outside waiting for Akko when she pushed through the main doors of the Manor. She was wearing a pair of jeans, Akko didn't even know she _owned_ a pair of jeans, and a dark blue blouse that was buttoned low enough to make Akko's breath stutter. Her hair fell in waves over her shoulders, almost shimmering in the light of the morning sun. In her hand, she clutched her broomstick.

Akko glanced down at her favorite sneakers (which just so happened to be so old and holey that she was surprised Anna hadn't found and burned them) and back to Diana's broom. "I thought you said to wear comfortable shoes?" she asked.

"Yes. This is just in case we don't feel like walking back," Diana said simply. "Or if it gets dark. I don't particularly like walking through these woods at night."

Akko narrowed her eyes at the blonde witch. "We're going to be gone that late?"

Diana shrugged. "That's up to you, I suppose. I brought lunch, don't worry." She lifted the leather satchel that was draped across her shoulder for emphasis. "I know you think with your stomach. Now come on."

Akko followed Diana down a wide dirt path that veered across a rolling hill to the back of the mansion. She could see the stables off in the distance, the handful of horses grazing peacefully in the morning glow. It was warm, unseasonably so for being so close to winter in England, and Akko eventually pulled her sweater over her head and tied it around her waist.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going, or is it meant to be a mystery?" Akko asked as the path narrowed into the woods. She could hear the birds chattering overhead, the rustle of dead leaves as some creature or other scrambled to get away from the invading humans. The shade fell cool on her skin. She stayed close to Diana, whose gaze was locked straight ahead as though she was on some kind of mission.

Diana was silent for so long that Akko was starting to think she wasn't going to reply at all. Finally, she spoke. "To see my mother."

"Your- Oh. Oh, okay."

Diana shot a sideways glance at Akko, blue eyes studying the side of the shorter witch's face. "Is that alright with you?"

Akko shrugged. "Well, yeah. Of course. I didn't know she was buried here."

"We have a family plot," Diana said, a matter-of-fact statement that implied it was difficult for her to imagine anything else.

The path grew smaller still. Akko had to carefully maneuver around jutting tree roots and large rocks. She stumbled a few times, catching the split toe of her shoe, but each time Diana put her arm out to stop her from tumbling. And, each time, it made Akko even less aware of the changes in footing and more focused on Diana's easy, confident stride and the hand that hung mere inches from her own.

When the path finally broke through the trees, they found themselves in a large clearing where the grass grew halfway to their knees. Ahead, Akko could make out the many shapes of gravestones set atop a low hill, shadows against a warm blue sky. Two trees rose among them, dead branches reaching through the sky in jagged lines. "Is that it?" she asked.

"Yes," Diana said. With a heavy sigh, she put her head down and trekked on.

The graveyard was not kept like the meticulously well-maintained cemeteries of her home country, where large, polished blocks spread across groomed land like a city for the dead. If anything, the grass grew even higher around the headstones. Akko hesitated before moving forward, but followed Diana nonetheless.

A rusted metal sign hung between the dry trunks of the two dead trees, swaying at each breeze with an eerie, unsettling squeak.

 _CAVENDISH_

Diana knelt before one of the newer headstones. It was tall and wide, nearly the length that Akko was tall, and she was surprised to see not one but four names etched into the marble. Her father, mother, her brother, and... Diana?

"Why is your name on here?" Akko asked.

"Because this is where I'll be buried when I pass, Akko," Diana said, kneeling before the gravestone and gently placing her hand on the jagged top of the stone. She didn't expect her to understand the formalities of wealthy families. She ran a hand through her wavy blonde hair, enjoying the warmth of the day and the grass tickling against her arms. Akko stayed standing, staring at the stone with large, pensive eyes.

"Your brother has a death date," she noticed. "But he's not dead."

Diana took a sharp breath before saying, "He is dead to us, Akko."

Akko shuffled her feet. "Do you—do you mind if I look around a bit?" she asked. There were other graves, and she felt a pull of curiosity to examine them all.

Rolling her shoulders in a shrug, Diana squeezed her eyes shut. "Of course."

Akko was studying each grave with an intensity Diana only saw when Akko was mercilessly defeating Lotte and Sucy with her Shiny Chariot cards or eyeing a particularly tasty tart. She watched the smaller girl move from stone to stone, brunette hair lifting gently in the soft breeze. Her bare arms had a couple of scratches from being snagged on branches in the woods.

"Hey, Diana?" Akko called out from across the yard.

"Yes, Akko?" Diana asked, rising and brushing the dirt off her jeans. When she saw where Akko was standing, she knew exactly what she was looking at. A tiny headstone, no larger than a brick, planted at the far corner of the graveyard with no further adornment.

"It—it can't be," Akko muttered, bending a knee and running her fingers along the name carved into the stone in lopsided letters.

 _BEATRIX CAVENDISH_

"I figured she would have a huge tomb. Or a monument or... something!" Akko said.

"That's hers," Diana confirmed, stopping next to Akko. "Things were very simple in the 7th century, as you can imagine. We have never interred nor altered the site in any way. What you see is as it was then. Now, come eat lunch. I'm sure you're starving after more than five minutes of physical activity."

"Hey!" Akko grumbled, but stood to follow nonetheless. "I'll have you know I get hungry after _zero_ minutes of physical activity."

"My apologies," Diana said, pulling two sandwiches from the satchel and handing one to Akko. She lowered herself back down before her mother's stone, sighing with content as she slowly nibbled at the bread.

Akko's sandwich was gone in about four bites. She threw herself back into the grass, stretching her limbs around her like she was making a snow angel. "It's nice here," Akko said. "Do you come here often?"

Diana shook her head. "Not as often as I should. It's not as though she's here. Sometimes, it's just a nice excuse to get away." She finished her sandwich, knocking the crumbs off her hands and letting herself fall back into the grass with Akko. Her head landed on Akko's outstretched bicep, but Akko made no move to pull it away.

"Mortality is terrifying," Diana said after a moment. "It would be nice to have an understanding of what came after."

Akko had never heard Diana admit a fear of anything. She turned her head toward her, the scent of lavender and rosemary flooding her senses. She breathed in deep, letting Diana's hair tickle against her nose and mouth. "Yeah. I guess so," she said, though she didn't know if she necessarily agreed. Death was just a part of life.

"It's the idea of not knowing, I suppose," Diana continued. "I'm not particularly fond of the unknown. There's so much here that brings me happiness. What if there isn't any of that in... well, the beyond?" She could feel the steady rise and fall of Akko's body, the gentle breaths warm in her hair. For the first time in as far back as she could remember, Diana felt truly at ease.

Akko closed her eyes, relishing in the warmth of the sun, of Diana pressed against her skin, of the magic between them spreading through her body. "And what—what makes you happy?" she asked.

Diana swallowed. She wondered if Akko could feel her heartbeat drumming a discordant tune against her ribcage, if she could feel her blood tingling beneath her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head toward the other girl, letting her face nuzzle into the soft crook of her arm. Her breath hitched in her throat as Akko's lips fell warm and soft against her forehead, and she was so viscerally aware that if she just raised her head a little, if she just looked up...

But she didn't.

She felt Akko's mouth move, the soft breath of her whisper gently tickling her skin.

"Same."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 _Tracker_

As much as Diana wanted to, as safe and comfortable as she felt against Akko, she didn't want to stay too late into the afternoon. The darkness brought shadows, and Diana wasn't keen on finding out what lurked in them.

"Let's get back," Diana said, pushing herself up and running a hand through her hair to pick out any pieces of grass. She turned and looked down at Akko, her insides twisting at the sight of those large red eyes staring back at her.

"Aw," Akko groaned, sitting up. She lifted a hand and reached toward Diana, thumb gently brushing against her pale jawbone, threading into a lock of hair.

"Uh, A—Akko?" Diana choked out, watching Akko's gaze trail over her face and land on her lips. Her cheeks flared. "What are you-"

"Oh. Sorry," Akko mumbled, pulling away and brandishing a long blade of grass as her own face turned a light shade of red. "Um, this was in your hair." She scrambled to her feet, reaching up to nervously scratch at the back of her neck. "Sorry, Diana."

"It's—it's alright, Akko," Diana replied, rising after her and swiping the grass and dirt off her body. She turned to try to hide the heat in her face. "We should get back," she said again. "How would you feel about flying?"

Akko nodded, untying her sweater from her waist and slipping back into it. "Sure."

Diana hummed, picking up the broomstick and turning it in her hand. "I have an idea. How would you like to try? This is where I learned to fly, after all. I like to believe Beatrix was offering some guidance."

"Er-" Akko hesitated, glancing between Diana and the broom. "I guess so. I can try. Why not?"

She took the broomstick. With a small nod of approval from Diana, she mounted the broom and took a deep breath. " _Tia Freyre!_ "

Nothing.

"I don't think she's going to do much for me," Akko said with a chuckle. "I'm starting to think I'm beyond help."

"Of course you're not. I've seen you at least hover." Diana placed her hand on Akko's lower back and gave a gentle push until the other witch straightened her posture. "Remember what I said about confidence, Akko?"

"Yes," Akko replied, though she was more concentrated on how Diana's hand lingered against her back. "Alright, I'll try again. _Tia Freyre!_ "

The broom shuddered, but nothing more.

Diana squinted her eyes, bringing a finger to her temple as she studied Akko's form on the broom. She _looked_ fine, just like any other capable witch, so Diana didn't understand exactly _why_ Akko couldn't fly.

"I... have an idea," Diana said at last, cool blue eyes flicking up to meet red. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Hold my hand."

Akko scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Um, okay," she murmured, lifting one hand from the broom and offering it to Diana.

Diana slid her fingers through Akko's, lips twitching into a small smile at the familiar flow of energy passing between them. "Try now."

Akko took a deep breath.

" _Tia Freyre_!"

The broomstick quivered with energy.

"Aw, nothing happened," Akko said, pursing her lips in disappointment.

Diana shook her head, smile growing. "Look down, Akko."

Akko looked to her feet to find that the toes of her sneakers were gently brushing against the grass. The broomstick swayed softly beneath her.

"Diana!" She shrieked, flashing a wide grin. "I'm doing it! I'm flying!"

Diana felt herself grinning back. "Almost," she said. She grabbed Akko's sweatshirt and pulled her back to the ground. She swung her leg over the broom and set her hands on Akko's hips, smiling into Akko's ear. "Try now."

Akko wasted no time. " _Tia Freyre!_ "

The broom lifted slowly into the air. Diana felt Akko's body tense with excitement.

"Yatta!" Akko hollered, pumping a fist into the air and jerking the broomstick wildly from side-to-side with the motion. "I'm doing it! I'm flying!"

Diana squeezed the fabric of Akko's sweater in her fist, laughing openly as she tried to keep herself from being thrown off. "Yes, you are. But please, Akko, take it slow, would-"

Before Diana could finish, Akko dropped her torso forward and sent the broom hurtling into the air. She pressed her eyes shut and threw her arms around Akko's body, squeezing so hard she was sure the other girl couldn't possibly breathe. She wasn't used to riding passenger, and certainly never on the a broomstick being handled by an excited beginner. She struggled to keep the nausea at bay as Akko flashed through the sky with the grace of a giraffe with newly sprouted wings.

"Akko, please," Diana called into the wind. "This is great, but please, for the love of the Nine, put this thing down!"

Akko tensed her jaw and nodded, turning in a jerky half-circle and angling the tip at the ground. And that's when Diana realized far too late that, first, Akko wasn't slowing down, and second, she had forgotten one _huge_ detail – Akko had no idea how to land safely.

Diana felt her breath jolt as the broomstick crashed into the ground and both witches went hurtling through the tall grass. Luckily, the surface she landed on was relatively soft. She took a shaky breath before lifting her eyes to look for Akko.

The gleeful laughter accompanied with cries of, "Ow, ow!" made Diana realize that she hadn't landed on the ground at all. She looked down to find Akko grinning, hand still clutching the broomstick, which she raised in the air. "I did it!"

"Yeah," Diana said, smiling. "You did."

She planted her hands in the ground and started to push herself up, but the sudden sensation of fingers wrapping around the buttons of her shirt and pulling her back stopped her. She looked down.

Akko was no longer laughing, no longer smiling. Her bangs were splayed across her forehead, quick breaths slipping from parted lips. Akko's half-lidded crimson eyes gazed up at her.

All at once, Diana's body went into overdrive. A nervous energy unlike any kind of sensation she'd ever felt surged beneath her skin. Her heart was beating like she was midway through a triathlon. Her blood was rushing, hot and throbbing, into her temples.

"A—Akko."

Akko leaned forward, eyes drifting shut.

"Stop," Diana said quickly, pressing a hand down on Akko's chest. "Stop."

Akko's eyes snapped open and the flicker of hunger was gone. Instead, startled confusion blinked back at Diana. "I—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's not that." Diana took a sharp breath as she stared down at a brilliant glow of red. "Akko... your mark."

Akko's hand flew to her neck. In one swift movement, she rolled out from under Diana and pushed the other girl to the ground beside her, lowering deep into the tall grass. She could hear the crack of a branch from the wood line, the shuffle of slow, searching footsteps through weeds.

"What do we do?" Akko whispered, peering into the nervous blue eyes inches from her own. She pulled the broomstick in close to her body, trying to make as little sound as possible.

Diana reached for her wand, desperately scanning through the gently waving grass. The light of dusk was casting a tall dark shadow in their direction, and she knew he couldn't be but 20 meters away.

"We run," she said at last. "Get the broomstick ready."

Diana filled her lungs with air and, in one swift, confident push, launched herself to her knees and threw her wand toward the origin of the shadow. " _Murowa_!"

The cloaked figure was blasted backwards in surprise. A loud shout came from the wood line, followed by a spell that whizzed inches from her hair. Akko could see the glow of the red sigil rise beneath her blonde hair where it hadn't been before.

Before their assailants had any more time to react, Diana leapt to her feet and threw her leg over the broomstick behind a waiting Akko. "Go," she said. "Now!"

"Diana, I can't-"

"Akko, _go_!"

" _Tia Freyre!_ "

Just like before, the magic coursing from Diana mingled through their bodies and the broom jolted into the air. Without hesitation, Akko leaned forward and shot into the air, jerking hastily at the tip of the broom in an effort to steer away from the barrage of spells flying at them. She could feel Diana twisting behind her, shouting spells back at their attackers.

"Akko, we have to get back to the manor. There's a— _Murowa!_ -a protective barrier," Diana urged, stomach lurching as the broom veered to the side. "And, please, don't kill us!"

It was getting darker, but Akko could see the manor rising a few hundred meters away. Just across the moat. Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath and angled the broom toward it. The yelling behind them was growing louder, closer, the oncoming spells a rapid fire.

"There's more," Diana panted.

"Diana, stop casting spells!" Akko shrieked.

Diana pressed closer to Akko, screaming into the wind, "What?"

" _It's a tracker!_ "

Akko was furiously struggling to maintain control of the broomstick amid the chaos. There were way more than two now, Akko wasn't sure how many, but they were descending on them faster than she could react. It didn't help that Diana was moving so much. She didn't have the aptitude or the experience to adjust their trajectory without a wild over-correction.

Akko had no time to respond as a figure shot straight at them, slamming into the tail of the broomstick so hard it started to spin wildly in the air. The broom bucked wildly and Akko pressed down hard, too hard, until the two witches were barreling straight to the flat, still surface of the moat.

"Ak-" Diana's scream was instantly drowned out as the two crashed into the moat. She felt her fist jerk open as Akko's sweater slid from her grip, the swirling water pulling them deeper, deeper. Her lungs throbbed as water impaled her airway and she knew she had to get to the surface, fast, but she couldn't tell which way was up. The water was murky with the silt that was rising from the bottom in the wild disruption and she couldn't see anything. Her arms flailed wildly, she had no idea where Akko was, nor the broomstick, nor the attackers, but, oh, Nine, where was Akko?

She could barely make out the hand that shot through the water and grabbed her arm. She was being pulled up, or down, she wasn't sure which, but her chest was burning for oxygen.

She broke the surface with a gasp. Her lungs heaved and she opened her mouth to gulp in much needed air, but the same hand that had been holding her arm smacked hard over her mouth. She heard herself make an animalistic noise that she would later be _very_ embarrassed about.

"Quiet," she heard Akko say into her ear. "Quiet!"  
Diana's nostrils flared as she struggled to get air through her nose. She felt Akko's desperate breath on her cheek as the other girl strained to breathe in heavy pants. Akko was dragging her, the surface of the water drifting lazily around their shoulders, lapping quietly at their faces. Above, she could hear muffled shouting as their pursuers desperately searched for them.

Reeds scratched against her face. She could finally feel the bottom of the moat squish beneath her shoes. Akko guided her beneath the overhang of an embankment, where the smell of muck was so strong that Diana had to force herself to keep from retching.

Akko's hand finally slid from her mouth and she sucked at the air in relief.

"Don't move," Akko whispered. She held Diana close to her, knowing that any splash would attract the footsteps she could hear rustling through the grass just a few feet away on the bank. Eventually, the footsteps fell away to silence.

They stayed there until the moon was reflecting patterns across the now-still surface of the water, until the voices of the figures were the phantom echoes of two hyper-aware minds.

"Are—are they gone? Do you think?" Diana whispered after quite some time. Akko could feel the blonde's body shivering hard against hers. Her own teeth rattled as the cold water stung her skin.

She pushed Diana's wet hair aside with a gently quivering finger to find that the mark had finally faded. "They're gone," she murmured, water whispering around their bodies as she grabbed the bank and pulled herself out.

Diana followed, letting herself fall to her knees as her throat contracted and all the water she'd swallowed came flooding out. She spit onto grass, swiping her mouth with sleeve. Her wet blouse was clinging to her body, chilling her to the bone in the declining temperature of the night. She looked up to find Akko's hand extended out to her. She took it, stumbling to her feet as she desperately searched the night for any cloaked figures.

"Come on, Diana," Akko said, tugging her back to the Cavendish Manor with a palpable urgency. "We have to get back. Now."

The walk back to the Cavendish Manor hadn't been too far, but it had been very, very cold, and Akko had felt herself staring into the shadows of the darkness through the nervous eyes of prey. Even worse, though, was the scowl from Anna as though Diana's state of being was _her_ fault, and Anna actually _had_ ripped Akko's shoes from her (in which the sole of one was hanging off after their ordeal, anyway) and tossed them out.

The long, hot shower was more welcome than it had ever been.

Akko was sitting on her bed drying her hair with a towel and relishing in the warmth on her skin when Diana hesitantly knocked on her door.

"Yeah, come in," she said, balling up the towel and tossing it onto a chair.

"Hey," Diana said as she shut the door quietly behind her. "How are you feeling?"

Akko chuckled, lifting her legs up onto the bed and folding them over. "Warm. You?"

Diana shrugged. She stepped over to her old wooden dresser and ran a finger across the smooth surface, inspecting the very small amount of dust that came up. Akko could see the goosebumps rising on her arms. "I should have known," she said, dropping her hand and shaking her head. Her hair was pulled back, but a few wet strands were clinging to her temples. "Of course they locate us through our use of magic. How else?" she mused.

"How would you know?" Akko curled her toes into the clean sheets. "There's nothing out there to tell us. Just think of it as troubleshooting." She chewed her lip. "They know where we are now, though."

"They know," Diana said, standing and moving to the window to stare out at the grounds of the Cavendish property, at the nearly full moon that cast an eerie series of shadows across the moat. "But they can't get to us. I've figured it out. Our marks act like a timer. As soon as we cast magic, that timer begins. Remember those realm fissures we read about?"

"Yeah," Akko replied.

"Think of it like that. The mark seems to serve as a key to our realm."

Akko scrunched her eyebrows together and planted her chin in her hands in thought. "So they're using our own magic to get to us."

Diana turned to face Akko, nodding. "Yes, Akko."

"Then..."

"We can't use magic," Diana finished.

Silence stretched through the room. Akko stared off in thought, crimson eyes zoned on the bright blue aura of the Philosopher's stone. "No," she finally said.

Diana sat down on the other side of Akko's bed, tucking her knee underneath her. She raised an eyebrow. "No?"

Akko pulled her attention away from the window to let her gaze fall on Diana's questioning eyes. "No," she repeated. "We use it to get to them."

"Akko, I'm not certain—"

"It's a key," Akko said quickly, nostrils flaring with the sudden realization of the power they held. "You said it yourself. If it's a key, then there's a door, and that door goes both ways. We just have to find it."

"It would be a realm fissure," Diana corrected, unable to hide the tentative excitement that flickered in her eyes. "But I haven't the slightest idea of how to find, much less use, one."

A slow grin eased across Akko's face. "Diana-"

"Whatever you're thinking-"

"I have an idea."

Diana frowned. "Akko, must I remind you that your ideas tend to be _very_ dangerous?"

Akko narrowed her eyes in thought. "Do you trust me?"

Diana hesitated, looking down at her hand fidgeting on her calf. "I-"

"It's not a hard question, Diana," Akko retorted, reaching out and delicately placing a few fingers on the other girl's knee.

Heat rose into Diana's cheeks. She brought her gaze up to find Akko's bright red eyes boring into her own. "Yes, Akko. Of course," she sighed after a moment.

"Good," Akko replied with a resolute nod, pulling her hand back much to Diana's disappointment. "Then you might want to get some sleep, because tomorrow, we fight back."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 _The Second Realm_

"I really don't know how I feel about this," Diana murmured as she watched Akko pull her hair back into a ponytail. "I would really feel more comfortable if I went with you."

They stood in the middle of one of the Cavendish's old foxhunting fields, far enough away from the Manor to ensure the safety of the others, but close enough to where they could get back quickly if they had to. As Aunt Daryl had requested, no word of their plans had been uttered outside of the two of them.

Akko shook her head, long brunette hair swishing at her back. She rolled her shoulders in a quick stretch. "One of us needs to stay here in case something goes wrong and you know my magic is iffy at best. Besides, they're less likely to recognize me."

Akko's plan was simple. Using their magic to bring the Order to their realm, Akko would find the gate to the other side, gather as much information as she could, and return before time ran out and the door closed. Diana would stay back and make sure the gate stayed open while fending off any attackers that came through in the meantime.

Diana sighed and shook her head. It was a crude plan, but she had to admit that she couldn't think of a better one. A nervous pang wrenched at her gut at the idea of Akko traversing the unknown by herself.

"It'll be fine," Akko said, flashing Diana a wide grin, though she could do nothing to hide the anxious flash in her eyes. "Promise."

Diana turned and pressed her back to Akko's. Her heart thudded with nervous energy as she scanned the rolling green hills of the field. At the highest peak, she hoped they would have a better chance of seeing what they needed to.

"Ready?" she heard Akko say behind her.

Diana took a deep breath, readying her wand. "Ready."

"Now!" she felt the muscles in Akko's back tense.

Diana raised her wand and whirled it to the sky, furiously running the plan through her mind again as she shouted, " _Revelare!_ "

The sky around them flashed and Akko and Diana found themselves standing amidst a hazy purple bubble. Diana held the spell as they both searched the space around them while the reveal spell scanned for any alterations to the magical world.

It didn't take long.

"There," Akko suddenly cried out.

Diana whirled to find Akko pointing at two cloaked figures who had appeared down the hill. Behind them, the spell illuminated a gently pulsing glow that hung in the air like a jagged crack across a glass surface. "You were right," she said to Akko, but the other girl was already sprinting toward the figures.

Diana pulled her arm back just as one attacker raised a wand and took aim at Akko. " _Nec motus!_ "

Green tendrils flew from Diana's wand and snaked around both figures like vines, snapping their wands from their hands and pulling them down in a tight bind. She held the spell as she strode slowly, green flowing from her wand in waves as she fed more restraints to the attackers.

Akko was already kneeling beside one and ripping his cloak from his twisting body. She threw it over her own shoulders, turning to face Diana with a frown. "It's too big!" she moaned. "I look like a kid playing dress up!"

"We don't have time to tailor an outfit to your size, Akko," Diana replied, gritting her teeth to fight against jerking limbs. "Hurry up and go. We don't have much time."

Akko reached forward to the gently waving crack, tentatively placing her fingers against it. A strange jolt coursed through her body. She hesitated, turning to look back at the witch behind her. Diana was straining against the strength of the two men, lips pursed in determination.

"Akko, go!" she repeated. "I can't hold much longer!"

"Will—will you be okay?" Akko asked, feeling her voice break.

"I'll be fine," Diana replied, panting heavily as her exhausted magic began to retreat back into her body. "Just, please, Akko." Cool blue eyes fell on the smaller witch. Akko felt a pull in her lower abdomen.

Diana lowered her voice, expression softening as she took in the sight of the brave witch who stood before another world in much-too-large robes. "Please, come back to me."

Akko returned a resolute nod, pulling up the hood and shrouding her face in the shadows. "I always will."

She turned and stepping into the rift.

As Diana looked after her, her magic binds slowly loosening and breaking against the thrashing figures on the ground, Akko disappeared as though she had never been there in the first place.

* * *

Akko's head was reeling. She felt like she had been on a rollercoaster that was going much too fast and blinked rapidly to try to clear the darkness from her eyes. One hand stretched out to find anything that she could possibly brace against. It found damp stone, and Akko steadied her breathing as her vision cleared and the world around her slowly took shape.

She tilted her chin up in an effort to see beneath the hood of the cloth dangling in her eyes and found herself in a hallway. A long, dark hallway that glowed orange with the flickering of torches lining the wall. The sound of water dripping somewhere nearby, along with the echo of footsteps somewhere in the distance, was all she could hear.

Akko took a deep breath and started walking. The bottom of the cloak dragged along the floor, water striking around her ankles as her sneakers splashed through small puddles. The air was warm and humid, and Akko found herself starting to sweat beneath the heavy robes.

A few voices echoed against the stone walls. She walked toward them, rubbing the fabric of the sleeves between her fingers in a vain attempt to stop her anxiety. Her heartbeat thrummed a rapid rhythm in her throat.

Light was filtering into the hall from an open door ahead. In the bright light, Akko could see large cockroaches scurrying into the darkness.

"Their magic signature was detected once more," a low, familiar voice rumbled from within the room. Swallowing hard, Akko slowed, creeping forward as she listened.

"As it was the day before," another voice, male and older, spoke loudly. "And once more before that. Yet, still, neither threat has been eliminated. As I understand, one holds the ability to disrupt the ritual. Do you wish to fail me? Your brethren?"

Akko sidled up against the wet stone and, holding her breath, peeked around the wall.

Inside the room, she saw Damien Cavendish. His back was turned, but there was no mistaking him. His hood was pulled down around his neck, blonde hair glowing orange in the light of a fire flickering at the far side of the room. Akko could see no one else.

"No, my lord," Damien replied, torso bending in a small bow. "I promise success."

"I would urge you remember your rank within the Order is merely the result of the surname you hold, not a reflection of your actions. You have much to prove. If you fail to claim the House of Cavendish, we will not possess the strength to merge our realms. Is that what your intention? To forever be an exile? For our great power to remain unseen?"

The voice was laced with a malice that gave Akko the chills. She leaned forward further, straining to see whoever Damien was speaking to.

"No, my lord," Damien repeated. "As it stands, my sister is in a losing battle. She will not last long." He kept his chin tucked to his chest in submission.

"And the other?"

"No magical presence has arisen from the other," Damien replied. "We will find her, but she is not the primary target."

"Must I remind you of the other's actions in the First Realm?" The other voice was rising in volume.

Akko could hear the heavy echo of approaching footsteps. She straightened, lowering her head to hide her features beneath the hood, and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. She peeked out from beneath the fabric of the dark hood to see two cloaked figures approaching.

"We Will Rise," both echoed together as they strode past. Akko said nothing.

The footsteps slowed and stopped. Akko could sense the two figures turning to look at her. She felt a bead of sweat roll down her temple.

"You, assassin," a woman's voice said.

Akko lifted her head to find a woman and a shorter man standing just past the room that was housing Damien's conversation. Their robes were adorned with sleek red fabric around the sleeves, gold sashes hanging at their waists, almost like the one Akko wore at school. Their hoods were drawn up, though Akko could see the stringy red hair that hung from the hood of the woman.

"Have you no respect?" she asked, stepping forward.

Akko felt her pulse start to race. She had clearly done something wrong, but she didn't know _what_ exactly. She stayed silent.

"Is there some reason you dare not utter the words of Aurelion?" the short man shrilled in an urgent, high-pitched voice that Akko would have laughed at in any other situation.

Akko hesitated, then warily said, "We—We Will Rise?"

"Assassins always think themselves above the rest." The woman sighed deeply, taking the arm of the man and turning. "Come, Petraeus. We have much to prepare."

Akko sighed with relief as the two strode off down the hallway, quiet murmurs fading into faint echoes.

"—the status of these two witches," the rumbling voice was saying in the room. "And let the news be good, else I send you myself and strip you of all but a blunt dagger to defend yourself."

"Yes, my lord."

Akko peeked around into the room to see Damien was turning to the door. She jerked her head away, inhaling sharply as she racked her brain for what to do. She turned and carefully eased down the hall, slipping into a slight dip in the wall and concealing herself in the shadows.

She watched as Damien left the room and turned in the direction the other two cloaked figures had gone before. She waited for him to round a corner before stepping into the flickering torchlight of the hallway . She trailed as quietly as she could.

Akko followed him through large double wooden doors that would have rivaled the entrance of Luna Nova into a giant courtyard, where a single, massive tree with a charred and blackened trunk rose like a monolith into a dark grey sky, its bare branches weaving around stone columns and even through the walls themselves. Damien Cavendish strode up to it and fell to one knee, his torso curving over in a deep kneel.

Another cloaked figure in an adorned robe strode past Akko. "We Will Rise."

"We Will Rise," Akko echoed. She stood still, heart pounding as she watched Damien. She could see his mouth moving in silent prayer. The branches of the tree creaked eerily as a howling wind passed through the battlements high above.

Finally, Damien rose. He turned on his heel and began walking back the way he had come.

Toward where Akko had come to stand beside a jagged square pillar.

She froze.

"Ah, Assassin. We Will Rise."

"We Will Rise," Akko said, forcing a deeper tone to her voice as she shrank a bit more into the darkness of the hood.

"Come, we must speak." Damien cricked his chin toward a cobblestone path that led to the far side of the giant tree and, without pausing, walked on.

Akko hesitated, but knew she had no choice. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm her nerves and strode after him.

Damien walked with his icy blue eyes locked ahead in an unblinking stare. His blonde hair was swept to the side in the same style as before, tea-green highlights dull in the dim light. For the first time, she noticed his cloak was different than the others. Though mostly black, the sleeves were adorned with a series of gold stripes that led along his forearm. The edge of his hood, too, was lined in gold.

"I see your clothes do not fit. You must be new. No matter, I will acquire attire that suits your stature shortly. There are more important matters. My sister and the Kagari girl still live," he said as they entered a wide hallway. "While I must say that I am not surprised, I find myself a little disappointed in such a specialized field."

Akko said nothing. She walked silently beside him, staring down at the uneven stone floor as she tried to match the much taller man's stride.

"If we are to break free of the First Realm, we must succeed in this mission," Damien continued. "I'm sure you understand how critical this is. Come, let us check the current status of the situation."

Damien took a sharp left into a room that opened into a massive, open area. Beds were stacked through the middle. Swords and lances and crudely made guns rested in racks against the damp walls. A few assassins milled about.

Akko kept her eyes straight ahead, determined not to look around too much and give herself away through curiosity.

On the other side of the barracks was an entrance to another, smaller room. A long stone slab stood in the middle, serving as a table to the multiple black cloaked figures who were staring into a magical projection on the far wall.

In the center of the table, emitting a bright turquoise glow, was a Philosopher's stone. In its side was a massive dent, as though the stone had slowly been chipped away to make smaller stones.

 _So that's how they're using magic_ , Akko thought as she turned her attention to the projection and took a sharp breath as her eyes fell on Diana.

The projection was like looking through the eyes of an assassin. The eyes were locked on Diana as she whirled and dodged, throwing desperate spells in every direction. She was soaked in sweat, blonde hair clinging to her temples as her legs shook beneath the effort. Akko could see more than a few assassins and felt a throb of urgency as she stared into the image. She had to get back. And quick.

"Where is the other?" Damien demanded.

Every cloaked figure turned to stare at him.

"She has not been seen," one of the assassins spoke up. "Her magical signature cannot be found. She has used no magic. We are unsure of her location."

Akko felt her hands shaking. She clenched her fists.

"She will show soon," Damien said, running a hand through his slick hair. "Where Diana can be found, Kagari will not be far. We Will Rise."

"We Will Rise," echoed the room.

He turned, beckoning Akko with his hand. "Come, assassin. Let us find you a cloak that fits."

She didn't want to pull her eyes away from the projection, away from Diana straining to fend off her attackers as she shot spell after spell toward them. But, with no other option, she reluctantly followed Damien from the room.

"Here," he said, reaching into a trunk at the far end of the barracks and holding a smaller cloak out to Akko. "This will suit you better. Congratulations on making it into this group. If I had the abilities, I, too, would have chosen this route."

Akko took the cloak and held it, saying nothing.

"What is your name, assassin?" Damien asked. He was staring into the shadows beneath her hood. Could he see her?

She took a deep breath. "I—Amanda," Akko said, thinking of the first name that came to her.

Damien's blind eyebrows scrunched together. "A... female? I had not heard that a female had graduated the academy."

Akko swallowed hard, her skin tingling as her anxiety rose. She could feel his eyes running over her body and felt a deep twinge of discomfort.

She felt his fingers on her hood, a gentle tug as he pulled the fabric to fall around her neck.

Akko found herself staring into the deep blue eyes of a Cavendish. But this wasn't Diana. There was no warmth, no comfort. She found only cold, only malice, only evil.

They flashed with recognition.

"You have made a very big mistake," he hissed as he reached to the side and yanked on a rope that was dangling from the ceiling. A deep gong echoed through the stone walls, making Akko's bones shake as she took a step back.

Akko dropped the cloak he'd handed her. She turned and ran.

She could hear yelling around her as she sprinted across the barracks and toward the wide hallway that Damien had led her down. The heavy weight of the cloak pulled at her, snagging on sharp stone and tearing loudly each time she pulled herself free.

Behind her, a loud explosion resounded off the walls. She felt something whistle by her ear and strike the stone beside her. Her sneakers slid on the wet floor as she rounded the corner and made for the massive tree trunk that stood in the middle of the courtyard.

"It's Kagari!" She could hear Damien screaming behind her. "Stop her!"

With a sudden, overwhelming rush, Akko realized she couldn't remember where the rift was. She didn't know where to go. She was turned around, lost in the dark with cloaked figures descending on her from all angles. She was twisting through a maze of torch-lit hallways, echoes ringing out as she splashed through puddles.

A shot rang out behind her, but it wasn't a spell, as Akko had thought initially.

It was a bullet.

The wall spewed bits of stone that sprayed into the side of Akko's face, peppering her cheeks with the sharp fragments that should have been her bone.

She could hear footsteps behind her, growing closer as exhaustion fell into place. Her lungs were throbbing, burning, her legs were begging her to stop, her feet struggled to maintain purchase on the uneven footing. Akko dug deep, tapping into stamina that she never knew she had.

Akko had to hold on.

* * *

Diana had to hold on.

Everything hurt. Her chest, her arms, her legs, every single muscle in her body screamed at her to stop, to rest, to seek help. But she couldn't. She had to keep fighting. For Akko.

She dove behind a tree trunk, shooting a weakened spell at a cloaked figure as she hit the ground shoulder first and skidded through the dry leaves. Before her attackers could get a jump on her, she had pried her exhausted body from the ground and was running again.

" _Murowa!_ " she shouted, aiming the tip of her wand at one of her assailants. They flew backwards, striking a nearby tree trunk and collapsing to their knees.

Akko had been gone for nearly half an hour.

She could still see the glowing rift against the blue sky, but no one came through, save for more black cloaks. Diana heaved another spell, but before it hit she saw the wave of a wand and felt herself thrown through the open field.

She landed hard in the grass, air bursting from her lungs in a loud gasp. She ached as she desperately wheezed for air, clutching her chest with her free hand and pointing her wand at the four attackers who were descending on her faster than she could recover.

They lifted their wands.

" _Circum praesidio_!" a shrill voice shouted behind her.

Spells ricocheted off the wavering purple shield that sprouted in front of Diana. She turned to see Aunt Daryl, Maril, and Merrill rushing up behind her, wands at the ready.

"Murowa!" Maril and Merrill shouted together, blasting an attacker off his feet and sending him hurtling through the air in a tangle of limbs.

"Aunt Daryl," Diana panted, forcing her unwilling legs to work as she rose. "Akko-"

Aunt Daryl scowled. "What did I say about upsetting the regular activities of the Manor?" she asked, shooting off another spell at a nearby cloak. "I find these circumstances very much outside of that request!"

"Mother," Merrill yelled. "Behind you!"

Diana raised her wand and shot a spell at the cloak rushing up behind her aunt. "We have to get to Akko-" she begged, heaving hard as she struggled to gather her breath and hold herself up at the same time. "She's in— _Murowa_!-the Second Realm!"

"The Second Realm?" Aunt Daryl shouted back, reinforcing the shield and sending a green arc that transformed into a fireball straight into the face of an attacker trying to take cover behind a tree. "What in the _Nine_ were you two thinking?"

Diana could see the rift wavering, fighting to hold as time slowly ticked down.

Akko had to get back. And _fast_.

An arm snaked around her neck and slammed into her windpipe, pulling her in tight. She pulled in her elbow and reeled back hard, striking the cloak so hard in the face she thought her bone had broken along with his nose. She stumbled forward at the release from his desperate grip, legs threatening to buckle as she took off at a run toward the rapidly fading rift.

If Akko wasn't coming back, Diana was going to her.

* * *

Akko could see the rift ahead.

With a deep, rattling breath, she surged forward. The metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth, the sweat poured down her face and back as she ran for her life. Bullets were raining down on her, spraying against the walls and floor as she arced and twisted to make herself a harder target. But the hall she had found herself on was straight. She knew their trajectories couldn't be off for much longer.

Her lungs heaved as she made one last, desperate lunge for the crack in the world that separated her from the First Realm.

Everything went black as the blood rushed to her head. She could still hear the bullets cracking next to her ear, missing by mere centimeters as they flew by.

She could see nothing, but the impact of the soft ground beneath her feet told her that she was home.

She had made it.

* * *

Diana was feet from the fissure when Akko came bursting out.

Spells were flashing all around her, green on red on blue on bright, shining purple as Aunt Daryl, Maril, and Merrill fended off the last of the attackers. Diana could still see the fog of purple as her reveal spell slowly faded, blue sky and bright sun pouring into her eyes.

Before her, the rift cracked, flickered, and disappeared entirely as Akko flew from midair in an all-out sprint.

"Akko!" Diana heard herself yell before something hit her with what she could only imagine was the force of a truck.

She felt her body jerk backwards and she exhaled hard in surprise. Akko was there, right there, and she only had to wrap her arms around her to know that it was real, that the brunette in the ragged black cloak was Akko.

But her legs gave out and she crumpled to the ground. Her gut throbbed. She felt something hot and wet burst from her mouth and brought her hand up in surprise, pulling it away to find fresh blood coating her fingers.

She could hear yelling somewhere. Akko's voice, maybe. Aunt Daryl's. One of her cousins. Maybe one of the remaining attackers. Diana didn't know, she wasn't sure. Her breath came hard and fast in her head, her pulse lurched against her throat, her vision was fogged at the edge but she still looked up and saw Akko descending upon her.

Diana felt her eyes fall. Her last thought was that the bright red blood pooling on the ground around her was almost the exact same color as Akko's eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 _Feelings_

Diana's eyes blinked open.

Her heartbeat pounded against her skull as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force away the distinct feeling of bodily weakness. She felt like all of her blood had been drained from her body, like she hadn't had any water to drink or food to eat in days. Like she had woken up from a very bad, very long dream that left her reeling in the face of reality.

She tried to sit up but felt a sharp stab in her gut that made her slowly ease back onto the bed. She grunted in pain, pushing down the covers and pulling up her shirt to reveal a bandage wrapped tight around her waist, a little bit of blood staining through the white material.

A heavy weight on the bed pulled at her attention.

"Akko?"

Moonlight flooded through the window to illuminate the side of Akko's peaceful face. The Japanese witch was curled into her side, gentle breaths rustling a strand of brunette hair that had draped across her cheek. Her hands were clasped tightly around Diana's forearm, clutching it to her chest like a comfort as she slept.

With some effort, Diana reached her free arm over and gently pushed the hair out of Akko's face. She could see deep cuts and bruises scattered across the witch's face and ran her finger gently over each, wondering how Akko had managed to put herself in harm's way this time.

Then she remembered. The Second Realm.

Akko bursting from the rift at a run, blood pouring down her face and eyes wild with fear. The deep wrench in her own stomach as the bullet broke through the fissure and brought her to her knees. The blood that was spilling over the ground, spilling out of _her_. Her own hands and Akko's hands coated in dark red as the brunette fell to the ground and pulled Diana into her arms.

Light flooded into the room as her bedroom door cracked open and the familiar form of Aunt Daryl slipped in. She stepped slowly over to the bed, careful to make no noise until she realized Diana's eyes were open and she was, in fact, awake.

"Diana," she whispered, gently touching Diana's shoulder and offering her a glass of water from her bedside table, which Diana gulped down gratefully. "How are you feeling?" Aunt Daryl asked.

"Not well," Diana replied, her voice hoarse. Her insides throbbed with the effort of speech.

Aunt Daryl nodded, placing a soft hand on Diana's forehead and lifting her shirt to inspect the bandage. "It will take some time, but you will heal. You're safe for now. So is this one," she nodded at Akko's slumbering body. "She made sure of that. Go back to sleep, you need rest."

"Thank you," Diana forced out, eyes fluttering as she watched Aunt Daryl take her leave. The door closed with a soft thud.

"Mmm," Akko mumbled.

Diana sighed, licking her dry lips and settling back against the soft pillow as she ran her fingers through Akko's hair.

"Diana?" Akko's bright red eyes flickered slowly open, gazing sleepily into Diana's. A slow smile slid across her lips. "Mm. Hey."

"Hey," Diana replied in a whisper. She felt herself using a lot of strength to smile back. She let her hand fall from Akko's hair and slide back across her aching chest. "You look... rough," she said carefully.

Akko pushed herself up. "You don't look much better," she replied through a yawn. She smiled down at Diana's pale face, the dark half-moons that hung under her blue eyes. "In fact, this is the worst I've ever seen you."

"Funny," Diana wheezed.

"I'm not joking," Akko said, looking down at her hand and gently rolled the sheets between her fingers. "But you still look gorgeous."

"Funny," Diana said again. The moonlight cast a glow across Akko's face, and with it she could see the blush dusting her cheeks.

"I—I'll get back to my own room now," Akko said, rising. "I just wanted to be here for you when you woke up."

"No," Diana replied, lifting her hand to take Akko's fingers and gently squeeze.

Akko looked down at the hand clutching her own. "No?" she echoed.

"Stay," Diana said. It was taking so much effort to speak. She coughed. "Please."

Akko's breath hitched. She could feel the burn beneath her skin, the familiar jolting sensation in her lower abdomen that made her head feel fuzzy. "O—okay," she replied. She slowly lowered herself back to the bed, letting her head fall against the pillow beside Diana's and curving around the figure beside her.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel Akko's quiet magic seeping into her side and it brought an easy, warm comfort. Akko snaked an arm around her waist and she pushed it away with a grunt.

"Careful," she muttered. "It hurts."

"Eh, sorry," Akko said, chuckling into Diana's neck. "My bad."

Diana sighed. "It—it's okay, Akko."

Everything hurt, but the sensation of Akko's soft, steady breath against her neck put her at ease. A light touch tickled at her palm and she opened her hand to let Akko's fingers intertwine with her own.

"Diana?"

"Yes, Akko?" Diana whispered.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Diana said nothing. Instead, she tilted her head back and let the exhaustion take hold, relaxing easily to Akko's welcome touch.

Akko listened for Diana's breathing to steady. She blinked up through weary eyes, taking in the sight of the sleeping witch with her wild blonde hair splayed across the pillow.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Akko whispered again, to herself this time. She pressed her lips to Diana's cheek, and, instead of pulling away, let herself drift off with Diana's soft skin tickling her nose.

* * *

The sound of the door clicking shut was enough to rouse Diana from her slumber.

She turned her head to look at the door, where Anna was standing with a massive platter of food and looking a little confused and a little, well, disoriented.

"Oh, I apologize for waking you, my lady," Anna said, dipping her head with a blush. She stepped forward, carefully balancing the tray of food. "I thought I would bring you breakfast. I didn't realize..." she trailed off, eyes falling on Akko.

Akko had made the bed her own. One leg was thrown across Diana's, the other dangling off the side from beneath the covers. Her face was buried into the crook of Diana's neck as she snored quietly, limp hand still lying on the fingers she'd fallen asleep holding.

"She—uh," Diana breathed in hard. She didn't know what to say. Finally, she said, "She wanted to make sure I was okay."

Anna nodded. She set the tray down on the nightstand and shook her head at the brunette witch wrapped around Diana. "She truly cares for you, that much is true," Anna confirmed.

Diana felt herself smiling. A pang in her chest quickly wiped it away.

"We will need to change these bandages soon," Anna said, pulling up Diana's shirt to look at the bright blood that was soaking through. "Lady Daryl did her best to heal you, but she is not Lady Bernadette. Your recovery is not likely to be very smooth." Anna sighed, swiping a finger across the red bandages to look at the fresh blood transferred to her finger. "Still, you are very lucky she was there."

With a final glance at Akko, Anna offered Diana a nervous smile and left the room.

Diana stared at the food at her bedside. She didn't feel like eating, but she knew it would help. She picked up a piece of toast and nibbled it, tasting nothing.

Akko stirred next to her. "I smell food," she murmured sleepily.

"Good morning, Akko," Diana said, lowering the toast in her hand.

"Er—Diana." Akko pushed herself away as the heat rose to her face. She stood. "Oh, sorry," she muttered as Diana let out a grunt of pain with her sudden movement. She scratched the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly. "Forgot I was here," she mumbled. "How are you feeling?"

"Not well," Diana answered honestly. "Your face, Akko—"

Akko reached up, fingers running over the deep lacerations on the left side of her face. "Oh, right. Aunt Daryl said she was afraid of messing with faces." She plucked a thick piece of bacon off the tray of food. "It's fine, though."

"I can take care of it." Diana made a move to reach for her wand but stopped with a wince. "On second thought, that might be better done at a time when our magic doesn't summon necromancers who are desperate to kill us. I'm not certain I would be very effective in a fight today."

"It's no big deal," Akko said around a mouthful of bacon. "I can wait. Just so you know, though, Aunt Daryl did a real botch job on you. That thing will take some time to heal. You're going to have a wicked scar."

Diana groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'll see Madam Wong on our return to Luna Nova. She has the proper training for scar removal. Just tell me this wasn't in vain, Akko."

Akko hummed. She reached for a sausage and chomped down on it. "You should eat, Diana," she said before launching into a detailed recount of her time in the Second Realm from the moment she found herself in the dark hallway to her frantic lunge for the rift.

"I thought you were going to die," Akko finished, frowning as she chewed thoughtfully. "There was so much blood. It's a good thing Aunt Daryl was there, she was able to cast a spell to get it to stop until we got you back here."

Diana ignored her. Her mind was running over Akko's recollection of events, mulling the possibility of Damien succeeding in the ritual during the Martian Eclipse. "They're using him to break the barrier between the First and Second Realm," she said, pressing her fingers to her temple in thought. "I wonder how they acquired a Philosopher's stone?"

Akko shrugged. She peered through the window at the grey sky, at the looming threat of rain from the dark clouds hovering overhead. Wind rattled the windows. "I don't think there's much we can do until the Martian Eclipse. It's not like they can get to us if we don't use magic." she said. "Probably a good thing right now." She gestured to Diana's bandages.

The bedroom door creaked open once more. Aunt Daryl poked her head in. "You're awake. Both of you. Good. Have you eaten? Was what Anna brought you not acceptable? I can have her bring something else. Soup, perhaps?" she asked as she strode over and lifted Diana's shirt to examine the bandages.

Akko blushed and looked down. "I'm, uh, going to go get dressed," she muttered. Without another word, she bolted out of the room.

"Oh, these desperately need to be changed," Aunt Daryl continued, ignoring the sudden absence of Akko. "My apologies, I was never the skilled healer your mother was. Honestly, I have never gauged enough interest for the subject to learn the correct protocol."

"That's alright," Diana said. She watched as Aunt Daryl slowly unwrapped her bandages, wincing in pain as she removed the thick block of bloody gauze that was wedged over her wound.

It actually _wasn't_ alright.

Faded green sutures from Aunt Daryl's spell were barely holding the hole in her gut closed. Her skin was yellow and purple, dried blood and bits of torn flesh clinging to the wound.

"This may hurt," Aunt Daryl said in warning before lifting her wand. Pale green tendrils of magic flowed over Diana's abdomen, bathing her in warm light. She grit her teeth hard to keep from crying out when she felt her skin start to tear and push together like someone was stabbing her with needles from the inside out.

She sighed with relief when Aunt Daryl lowered her wand and looked down to see fresh sutures holding the wound together. It was cleaner than before, somewhat less gruesome looking, and Diana had to admit that a little of the pain was gone.

"Thank you," she said as Aunt Daryl began wrapping a new bandage around her torso.

"We have had our differences, but as Bernadette's daughter I do wish you good health. Though, I must admit, some of this is selfish. The girls and I have been planning a holiday party for quite some time and the Hanbridges are due to come along with a few other notable political figures. I would much rather have you showing face for the House of Cavendish as opposed to bleeding out on your own bed." Aunt Daryl pulled Diana's shirt down and gathered up the old bloody bandages.

"Still, thank you."

Aunt Daryl offered a curt nod, looking entirely uncomfortable with the whole situation. "I will send Anna with a more suitable meal," she said. "I will also inform Miss Kagari that she can return, though I must insist you refrain from planning any more of these suicidal missions. For my sake, and for your own."

Diana sighed deeply, pushing herself up against the headboard and finding, gratefully, that she could sit up with little pain. She turned her head to gaze out the window at the darkened grounds of the Cavendish Manor, watching as the rain slowly began to patter against the glass in a soothing rhythm. Her eyes fell on the unicorn rearing into the dark sky.

She had to find out more about the Martian Eclipse. She had to stop Damien from claiming Head of House Cavendish, from getting his magic back, and, quite literally, opening the gates of hell.

* * *

"I just don't _get_ that stupid 'We Will Rise' stuff," Akko was saying as she walked beside Diana through the quiet halls of the Cavendish Manor. By the evening, Diana had been feeling well enough to move around, and she was absolutely sick of lying in bed. Though there was an aching pull in her torso and limited range of motion in her left leg without pain, she was determined to return to normal.

"It's just so lame," Akko went on as they rounded into the dining room where Anna was tidying up after supper. "I mean, is that supposed to be some play on necromancy? They could have thought of something _way_ better."

"Like what, Akko?" Diana asked as she gave Anna a polite nod. She didn't really care what Akko was saying, and she wasn't really listening, but she had to admit the rambling was bringing her some level of comfort and distraction from the pain.

"Well—" Akko scratched the back of her neck. "I dunno, you kinda put me on the spot."

Diana hummed as they walked down the hall to the ballroom. She could already see the garish decorations that, without a doubt, Maril and Merrill had picked out. "By the Nine," she mumbled, pausing in the massive arc entryway. "What have they done?"

"Aunt Daryl told me about this earlier," Akko grumbled. "I got a lecture from your _Aunt_ about behaving in front of guests. Can you believe that?"

"Well… yes," Diana said, resting against a table that was already set with the finest china the Cavendish family owned. "You are generally rather—" She pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers as she tried to think of a word that wasn't overly insulting. "Crass."

Akko waved her hand in the air as if dismissing the comment. "Whatever. Well, she's making me wear this awful dress."

"Not the pink one, I hope?" Diana asked.

Akko shook her head. "No. Thank the Nine. It's one of Maril's—er, Merrill's? I'm really not sure."

Diana leaned forward, closing her eyes as a sharp stab seared through her gut.

"Are you okay?" Akko asked. "We should get back. We've walked enough. You need to get rest."

Diana nodded. Akko was right, she had pushed herself a bit more than she should have. She clutched her side and straightened her body with a sharp intake of breath at the sudden pain. Worried red eyes were staring at her.

"Er—" Akko shuffled nervously. "Do you want me to… carry you? Or something?"

"Absolutely not," Diana huffed. "You couldn't possibly carry me anyway. That's absurd."

Akko frowned, narrowing her eyes as though Diana had just challenged her. "You don't know that," she grumbled. "I could be the strongest girl at Luna Nova."

"I don't doubt it," Diana replied, too weary to engage Akko in one of her pointless arguments. "If you would allow me to just lean on you, that would be fine."

"Uh, sure."

Akko slowly wrapped one arm around the taller girl's back and guided her back to her room, trying to ignore her _own_ weird feeling in her stomach as Diana leaned into her shoulder. The smell of her hair made her breath hiccup in her throat.

She almost sighed with relief when she felt the other girl's magic release its tight hold on her own as they broke apart. She watched Diana settle onto her bed, pushing her blonde hair out of her face and shaking her head.

"This is ridiculous," Diana said, frowning. "I have never felt so incapable in my life."

Akko was trying to calm her racing pulse. She played with the bottom of her shorts, looking anywhere but Diana. "You're injured. It happens. Besides, Aunt Daryl said you should be back to normal tomorrow. For the most part, anyway."

"I suppose." Diana pulled her legs up onto her bed, sighing at the presence of her aching wound. "Would you—" She hesitated, swallowing hard as she stared down at her own hands shaking gently in her lap. "Would you want to stay again? With me? It… was nice," she finished.

"Oh." Akko felt her a tug so hard in her chest it made her eyelids flutter. "I—"

Her legs felt like jelly. She _wanted_ to. She wanted to curl up with Diana just like the night before, to wake up to the soft outline of the other girl's jaw, to the perfect blonde hair that spread across the pillow like gold. But it _wasn't_ the night before. Diana was awake, she was alive, she was sitting in front of her in a thin shirt and shorts and Akko could see her pale neck, her smooth legs.

The lurch in her lower abdomen felt anything but innocent.

"I—uh, I think it would be best if—if I didn't," Akko stammered, stepping backwards until she'd found the doorknob. She rushed from the room before a surprised Diana could even respond.

Akko let her back fall against the closed door, heart racing as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to steady her breathing. She did _not_ need to be having these thoughts right now. She did _not_ need her own teenage hormones distracting her from their actual goal. They were here to stop the Order of Aurelion, nothing else.

 _Get yourself together, Akko_ , she thought as she pushed into her own room and settled into the bed that had gone empty the night before. But, as hard as she tried, she couldn't push Diana from her mind.

No, she was far beyond that point.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 _Finally_

"Sugoi! Kokonotsu wa watashi o tasukeru," Akko slipped.

"That is _not_ a language I speak," Diana snapped. She folded her arms across her chest, wincing at the tiny ache in her abdomen. "Do I look ridiculous? In English, _please_."

"You look—" Akko rubbed her temple, trying to hide the flare of heat in her cheeks. "You look great."

Diana had absolutely _refused_ to wear a dress, but she wasn't exactly happy with the other option, either. "You can _see_ these horrible bandages underneath," she'd moaned to Anna as she returned yet another dress to her wardrobe

Anna was growing weary of Diana's diva-like behavior.

"Then wear the slacks and vest I chose, my lady," Anna replied, motioning to the outfit she'd laid out on the bed. "They are tailored to fit you perfectly."

"Not for an occasion such as _this_ , I had _this_ tailored for dinner with the president of the Hunt Club," Diana said. "But I suppose I have no other option." She heaved a sigh as she stared at the navy slacks, white shirt, and grey vest with a look that Anna could only interpret as unhappy resignation.

Now, as she stood in front of Akko's wide red eyes, she was tugging self-consciously at the cuffs of her sleeves. "You most certainly just mocked me in Japanese."

"I did not!" Akko exclaimed, admiring the way Diana's thick blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders. "It was a compliment, I promise."

Diana grumbled. "Well, you look very nice, too."

Aunt Daryl had dropped off one of the sisters' old dresses. It was plain green dress, but comfortable, though Akko was pretty sure it was supposed to be mid-thigh short, not knee-short.

"It's a bit big," she muttered. "But it's fine. How's your—um—you know." She pointed at her own stomach for emphasis, trying not to look down at Diana's midsection, where her perfectly fitted vest was hugging her flat stomach in a way that made Akko's insides turn.

"Better, thank you," Diana replied. With the way Akko had left her room in such a hurry at a question that she had considered to be _very_ vulnerable, she wasn't quite sure how to act. She felt uneasy, unsure. "Come, let's make our way to the ballroom. I'm sure the guests have already arrived."

Without looking back to make sure Akko was coming, Diana began walking. She could hear chatter and laughter echoing through the Cavendish Manor and, based on the high-pitched giggles, knew for certain that Maril and Merrill were swarming Andrew Hanbridge.

She arrived to find the girls on either side of the very un-amused looking Andrew. His black hair was slicked back in the same perfect fashion it always was. His tailored black suit made him look tall, thin, almost imposing, but Diana knew better.

"Diana," he murmured as she approached, bending in a polite bow. "You look very—Ah! Akko."

A thin smile spread across his lips as he looked over Diana's shoulder to see Akko, who was subconsciously rubbing the marks on her cheek. Diana had convinced Aunt Daryl to at least try to heal the girl's face, even going so far as to supervise to make sure nothing went wrong. She didn't get rid of the scars completely, but at least it didn't look like she'd been mauled by a bear any longer.

"Hi, Andrew," Akko chirped. An easy grin slid across her face as she rushed to her friend and threw her arms around him in a hug.

Andrew was visibly uncomfortable with the physical attention. He gently patted Akko's back and chuckled.

Diana frowned. Ignoring a pang of jealousy, she looked around to see that Aunt Daryl had invited a _lot_ of people. She recognized a few prominent figures of the Ministry of Magic, Andrew's father, couples from other wealthy magical families.

Her aunt, as usual, was feigning delight in a shrill falsetto that made Diana's eye twitch.

"Akko, would you like a glass of wine?" She asked the brunette witch as her gaze fell on the table of refreshments.

"Sure," Akko barely managed to say between breaths as she ran off about everything that had happened at Luna Nova since she had seen Andrew last. Maril and Merrill were looking extremely annoyed at their sudden lack of attention.

Diana found her patience growing thin. Already. "What kind?" she asked.

"Uh, I don't know, I've never had wine." Akko turned to Diana and scratched at her temple. "Whatever you're having?"

"I'll take a glass of merlot," Andrew said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Diana sighed, ignoring the pain in her abdomen as she walked off, leaving the two to continue their conversation. At the refreshment table, Aunt Daryl was entertaining guests by seeing how long and loud she could laugh at every horrible joke.

As she poured herself and Akko one of her favorite chardonnays, she felt Aunt Daryl's eyes lingering. She looked up.

"Diana," Aunt Daryl acknowledged with a small nod. "It's good to see you were feeling well enough to join us. Even if you have chosen somewhat… inappropriate… attire."

Diana said nothing as she uncorked a bottle of merlot.

"I see Miss Kagari has taken a liking to Andrew," her aunt continued with a haughty smile. "Strange, I almost thought her affections were elsewhere. I wouldn't urge such a nice young man to have relations with a girl such as her, though I must admit they do complement each other well."

Diana felt the blood rushing to her face. "That's enough, Aunt Daryl," she said quickly, gathering the three glasses in her hand and ignoring the stare of cold blue eyes.

"Enjoy your evening, Diana."

Diana hesitated when her gaze fell on Andrew and Akko. Akko was laughing in an open way that she never did around Diana. Every action seemed to come fluid, easy. Even Andrew, though trying to maintain his usual composure, couldn't hide an amused smile.

Jealousy wrapped its cold fingers around her heart, squeezing hard as Diana sucked in air and returned to the two heavily engaged individuals.

"Thanks, Diana!" Akko pressed the glass to her lips and took a sip. "Egh," she said with a shudder. "Why do people like this?"

" _I_ like it very much," Diana replied with a scowl, sipping her wine and turning her attention to Andrew. "So, Andrew, how are the affairs between yourself and your father?"

The corner of Andrew's lips raised in a false smile. "The usual. Though, both he and I have come to find an appreciation for magic following Akko's use of it to stop that missile."

"Diana helped, too," Akko said, though she did nothing to hide the pleased grin that was plastered to her face.

Diana rolled her eyes, finding herself unable to hide her displeasure. Feeling the familiar stab of pain in her torso, she took a seat at the nearest table. The two continued as though she had never been there at all.

"My, I certainly don't understand why Andrew would talk to such a plain girl."

She looked up to find Maril and Merrill standing next to her, both watching Andrew with their arms crossed over their chests.

"I'm honestly surprised you even associate with her, Diana. I always thought you had a bit more taste," Merrill said.

"Someone so talentless should not even be among us," Maril added.

"Disgraceful," Merrill muttered.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut. She felt her teeth grind together. "She is _not_ a disgrace," Diana countered, struggling to maintain poise through bitter words. "And she is far from talentless. Her magic abilities may not match ours, but she is talented in many other ways. She's brave, and rather smart, and extremely kind. If I may be so bold, I believe those are three qualities that _neither_ of you possess."

Maril and Merrill stared at Diana with matching looks of disbelief.

"At least we still know what it means to be a Cavendish," Maril growled. She grabbed Merrill's arm and began dragging her to where Aunt Daryl stood chatting vibrantly with the Secretary of Holistic Magic.

Diana took a sip of her wine and dropped her forehead into her palms, focusing on the music drifting through the room and thinking that she might even rather take another bullet than deal with the rest of the evening.

* * *

Akko found herself studying Diana as they ate.

She looked so _different_ , yet still the same, but Akko still felt her heart beating faster every time she managed to sneak a glance. Diana had the top few buttons of her shirt undone, and beneath it Akko could see the soft white skin of her chest, the smooth curve of her collarbones. She watched her hands as she cut into her meal, letting her mind wander to the feeling of their fingers laced together, the gentle caress of Diana's thumb against the back of her hand.

Her gut twisted. She closed her eyes.

"Akko?"

Akko's eyes flickered up to find Diana's cool blue eyes gazing into her own.

"Are you alright?" Diana asked. "You've hardly touched your meal."

"Oh, right," Akko hummed. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, looking down at the plate Anna had set in front of her. Roast pheasant, bathed in an apple fig chutney with caramelized broccoli and buttered potatoes, all topped with thick squares of bacon and a flaky croissant that Akko knew would melt on her tongue.

"Slow down," Andrew said with a chuckle as Akko began shoveling the food into her mouth.

"It's so good," Akko replied through a full mouth, taking a massive bite of the croissant and following it with a big slice of pheasant.

Diana shook her head, setting her silverware to the side and forcing a smile at Andrew. She could feel Aunt Daryl staring at Akko with a very _if you don't stop her, I will_ expression on her face.

"Akko, please. At least find some restraint for the time being," she scolded.

"Fine," Akko grumbled. She leaned back in her chair and sipped the wine that she had hardly touched. "But you _do_ have to admit this is way better than the same old potatoes at Luna Nova."

"I didn't think that was even up for discussion." Diana took swallow of her wine and watched Akko closely, willing the other girl to conduct herself respectfully, or, at the very least, maintain some semblance of manners.

"Say, Andrew, would you want to dance?" Akko asked.

Andrew's head snapped up. He stared at Akko in appalled confusion, holding a hand out in front of him and shaking it vehemently. "No, absolutely not," he replied. "But, thank—"

But Akko was already on her feet. "Oh, come _on_ ," she begged, grabbing his arm and yanking him away from the table before he could protest further.

Diana rubbed her temple with between her fingers, breathing deeply. She watched the brunette witch dragging the unwilling young man to where a bunch of older couples were dancing in a much more formal manner than she imagined Akko had in mind.

The cold hand inside her gripped tighter. Diana looked down at her half-eaten meal, running a finger around the rim of her wine glass as she let herself, despite her better judgment, watch Akko.

A few very stuffy looking individuals had given her a wide berth as she danced energetically, wide grin plastered across her face. The dress twirled around her knees. Her hair flew in unruly brown tendrils against her shoulders. The phantom sensation of Akko's soft hair spilling like water between her fingers bit with a pang.

Andrew was moving slowly, not really sure of where to put his feet. He looked entirely uncomfortable.

Diana wanted to shove him out of the way and show him how to dance. But she didn't move.

Letting her eyes wander the room, she found her aunt and cousins at another table. Maril and Merrill were watching Akko and Andrew with looks of pure disgust. Aunt Daryl, though, was looking at Diana.

A slow, teasing smirk eased across her aunt's lips and Diana felt something inside her snap. That was the tipping point. She set her napkin next to her plate and stood, forcing the throb of her abdomen out of her mind as she pushed through the wide double doors of the far hall and stepped onto the balcony.

The cold night hair hit her face in a welcome shock of reality. She sighed deeply, leaning against the stone wall to gaze over the darkness shrouding the estate. The unicorn stood tall, the Philosopher's stone glowing bright against the void of the sky. In the distance, she could hear the horses snorting contentedly into the grass as they ate.

Diana's palm fell against her wound, pressing gently at the tender spot on her stomach as she tried to distract her mind from Akko, from Andrew, from Aunt Daryl, from _everything._

She heard the door open and shut slowly behind her.

"Diana?"

Diana turned her head to see Akko. Just Akko. She looked out of breath. Her tousled hair fell around her face and she shoved her fringe to the side, inquisitive red eyes falling into blue.

"I couldn't find you. Aunt Daryl told me you were out here." Akko inhaled hard, chest rising and falling with the effort of her lungs. "Are you alright? You're not hurting, are you? Egh." Akko shivered and rubbed her bare arms with her hands. "It's cold out here."

Diana's eyes fell. She turned back to the muted landscape of night. "I'm fine, Akko," she said.

"No, you're not," Akko countered. She stepped up to Diana's side and leaned against the wall, eyes falling on something in the distance. "You've been weird all night."

"I have not been 'weird'," Diana replied.

"Have too."

"Have—Akko, I am really not in the mood for your childish banter." She stepped back and turned to Akko. "I'm sure Andrew is looking for you."

"Andrew?" Akko brought her gaze back to Diana, eyebrow raised. "I doubt it, he went off to talk to some vice president of something or other." She straightened, wrapping her arms tight around her body in an attempt to get warm. "Besides, what do I care?"

"He seems to fancy you," Diana replied, rolling her shoulders in a shrug.

Akko brought her palm to her face and groaned loudly into it. "Are you serious? Is this really what this is about?" She dropped her arms and tilted her head back in exasperation. "Andrew does not _like_ me, Diana. We're just friends. Well, he's more my friend than I am his, but no matter."

Diana said nothing. She looked down.

Akko found herself staring at the blonde witch as a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Wait, are you jealous?"

"I am hardly jealous," Diana muttered, meeting Akko's crimson gaze with an intent flicker in her eyes. "I have no feelings toward Andrew whatsoever. He is as charismatic as a cow and twice as simple."

"I didn't mean of _me_ ," Akko pointed out, her smile spreading as she took a step forward. "You're jealous of Andrew."

"I'm not sure what you're implying," Diana said with a huff. "Besides, you did ask him to dance with you, what am I supposed to think?"

"Do you really think I didn't want to ask you?" Akko asked. She reached up and ran a hand through her messy brunette hair. "I just knew you would try and I didn't want you to hurt yourself."

Diana looked away. A few stray strands of blonde were falling over her eyes. "How am I supposed to know that?" she asked.

Akko could feel tendrils of Diana's magic snaking their way into her body. Her skin tingled, her pulse started to quicken at the realization of what she was about to do. Her eyes fell soft on the other girl's face.

"By the Nine, Diana, you are so stupid," she said, taking a final step forward.

"Pardon-"

Before her bravery withered away, Akko placed her hands on the other girl's rigid shoulders and leaned in, pressing her lips against Diana's.

"A—Akko?" Diana brought her hand over her mouth in surprise as the other girl stepped back. She felt a burn rising, fast and hot, into her cheeks. Her heart slammed in a merciless beat against her chest.

Akko was blushing furiously. Her breath hitched. She'd imagined this a million times, always in some romantic way or other, but this was quickly becoming far from that. Besides, she hadn't even thought of what she was going to say or do _after_. "I—um—sorry—if that—if that wasn't okay," she stammered.

"It was," Diana said.

Akko felt Diana's cold fingers gently brush her cheek and run through her hair. Her body was quivering, but she knew it wasn't from the cold. She willed it to stop. She hesitantly reached forward, placing a hand on the soft skin of Diana's neck. She could feel Diana's pulse thrumming against her fingers, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as her breath shallowed. "Can I-"

Diana's eyelids flickered over soft blue eyes. "Please," she breathed.

Akko leaned in again, sliding her hand to the back of Diana's neck as she pulled the other girl in and their lips met once more in a mutual fervor.

Diana's lips were cool, soft. They were moving slowly with hers and Akko felt like she was melting, like she was losing herself in the shroud of magic that resonated from Diana's body. Maybe she was.

Diana's fingers were threading into her hair, pulling her closer, pulling her into her body. Akko pressed up against her. She was tense but comfortable, and so perfectly, wonderfully familiar. Her skin was trembling the same way Akko's was.

They could both feel the magic surging between them. It was in their veins, beneath their skin, pulsing around them like a warm embrace.

Akko broke away with a sharp intake of breath. She let her hand slide down to Diana's chest and gripped the collar of her shirt, breathing heavily as she whispered, "About time."

"What?" Diana asked, unable to hide the smile that was spreading across her tingling lips. She ran her thumb along Akko's bottom lip, sighing deeply, letting every blissful moment sink in.

"Been waiting—so long," Akko panted, still blushing as she gazed into Diana's warm blue eyes.

"Then let's not stop now."

Diana pressed her mouth hard against Akko's, letting herself drown in the intoxicating sensation of her kiss, losing herself in the girl, in the magic, in the relief that finally, _finally_ , they had come together for the one thing they wanted the most.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Books were spread out before her, each open to a different yellowed page of tiny text that Akko couldn't make heads or tails of. The smell of dust and ancient ideas flooded her nostrils and made her want to sneeze, but she had done so much of that she didn't think it was possible anymore. The wooden chair beneath her bit into her skin, the jagged stone edge of the table scraped against her arms. The only soft thing around was the girl in front of her and the lips that Akko wanted so badly to kiss, but every time she tried-

"Akko, now is _not_ the time for that," Diana scolded as she pushed the other girl away and scanned the ancient text before her in a thus-far vain attempt to find some information about the Martian Eclipse.

Akko was one-hundred-percent, without a sliver of a doubt, over research. They had been looking for something, _anything_ , that gave a clue as to what to expect with the Martian Eclipse for the entire day without a single break. Akko was pretty sure that Diana hadn't moved a single muscle since they sat down, much less even looked up at her.

Her stomach grumbled. She let her forehead fall onto the book spread in front of her, adding a loud groan for emphasis. "Diana, are we done yet?" she moaned. "This is boring. And I'm hungry!"

Diana sighed, finally looking up to see Akko turn her head and give her _the eyes_. Yet again, Akko was going to try to win through guilt and sheer adorableness. "Would you rather be bored or dead?" she asked, leveling the other girl with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not a fair question," Akko muttered, sitting back up. "We've been at this all day and I haven't found a single thing."

"I must be honest and say that I haven't found anything of use, either," Diana said, closing _A Full Cavendish History_ with a puff of dust that made Akko sneeze. Again. "Bless you. It seems that there has been no recording of a Martian Eclipse in the history of my family. Not even an honorable mention. Nothing in _Astrology and the Occult_ , either."

"Well," Akko shrugged, "it's a good thing I'm used to going into life and death situations completely blind."

Diana shook her head, looking pointedly at the stack of books they'd gone through the entire morning and better half of the early afternoon. "I hardly think that's the best approach to this, Akko. However, I will agree that it's probably time we take a break."

"Thank the Nine," Akko moaned, slamming her own book shut and tossing it onto the pile of others to a ' _Careful, that's old!_ ' from Diana and a heavy sigh of relief. "There's so much else we could be doing right now."

Diana crossed her arms over her shoulder and leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow. "And what did you have in mind?"

Red eyes trailed over Diana's face, settling on her lips as a devious smirk pulled at the corner of Akko's mouth. Akko hummed, leaning across the table. "What do you think?"

Diana couldn't hold back a small smile. "Akko, now is hardly the time for—"

"It's _always_ time," Akko interrupted, stopping within a few inches of Diana's face. "Don't you think?"

Diana felt a tug at her heart, mind drifting to the night before and the soft pressure of Akko's lips on her own. They'd gotten no time alone since, and Diana would be lying if she tried to say she hadn't at least _thought_ about it, well, multiple times. Her heartbeat throbbed in her throat as she closed the gap, eyes fluttering shut as her lips brushed against Akko's except—to her surprise and, let's not lie, complete _dismay_ —Akko pulled away, leaving Diana, once more, with the ghost of a memory.

Diana's eyes blinked open, brows stitched together in confusion, only to find Akko staring at her with a wide grin. Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief.

"I meant," Akko whispered, still close enough to where Diana could feel the other girl's breath on her lips, "eating. I'm _starved_." She leapt to her feet.

Diana felt her patience dwindling. Only, this time, it wasn't from what Akko was doing _wrong_. It wasn't from inappropriately timed comments, or a backfiring spell, or the theft of a tart after hours.

No, Akko was doing everything right.

Diana felt the tips of her ears burning as she followed Akko from the archives, wondering how in the world she was _ever_ going to manage to keep her composure when they made it back to Luna Nova.

* * *

"The Martian Eclipse?"

Aunt Daryl leaned back in her seat at the dining table, pressing her index finger thoughtfully to her chin as she stared across the room at a large portrait of herself and Bernadette that hung on the wall. Maril and Merrill, for the first time, were privy to the conversation. They stared at their mother with a look of uneasy curiosity.

Diana, as poised as ever, simply sipped her tea, blue eyes lingering on her aunt. Akko nodded, contentedly munching on a sweet biscuit that Anna had brought them with their tea.

Aunt Daryl shook her head, looking down at her own untouched tea and biscuit. "I'm not sure I've ever heard of anything such as a Martian Eclipse playing a role in Cavendish family tradition," she said.

"Tradition?" Akko sat up a little straighter, lowering the hand that clutched the remainder of her snack. "Is the Venusian Eclipse only a manner of tradition?"

"Of that I cannot say for sure, as the Head of House has never been determined in any other manner," Aunt Daryl brought her tea to her lips and blew it gently before taking a sip. "And you believe that Damien wishes to claim Head of House Cavendish through the Martian Eclipse?"

"Damien?" one of the sisters asked.

Aunt Daryl scowled. "Girls, please hold your questions for a more appropriate time."

"Tradition can be broken," Akko said, eyebrows scrunching together as she stared down into her tea. "Everyone thought Vajarois _had_ to be appeased during Samhain because it was tradition, but that wasn't true at all. Maybe the ritual can be done during any eclipse, or really any _time_ —"

Diana coughed into her hand, pulling the table's attention to her. She lowered her teacup to its saucer and flipped her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder. "Akko is right. We have no information on this subject, so I think it would be wise for us to treat it like any other Head of House ritual."

Akko had picked her biscuit back up and was gnawing at it while she stared at Diana. "Right," she said, yanking her eyes up to meet Diana's before she was caught looking, well, _elsewhere_. She took a deep breath, feeling her cheeks flaring as she continued. "But how can we stop him?"

"The same way I stopped Diana," Aunt Daryl mumbled, looking down at her hands as her fingers twisted over each other. "Just don't let him get there in time. From my understanding, the Martian Eclipse has a very short window."

"But—er, magic," Akko replied. "We can't exactly use it, can we?"

"Not from what I've heard," Maril, or Merrill, grumbled under her breath, earning a menacing glare from Aunt Daryl.

" _Enough_ ," Aunt Daryl hissed.

Diana had let her eyes fall on the corner of the room. A tall suit of armor towered above them, glimmering in polished steel and clutching an intimately made, albeit dull, broadsword. Her eyebrows stitched together as she ran a finger against the handle of her teacup. "I have an idea," she said at last, bringing her gaze back to the table and the four witches sitting around it. "Aunt Daryl, where is the key to the vault?"

"Diana, no." Aunt Daryl shook her head, lips tugging into a firm frown. "Those are family heirlooms, I forbid it."

"May I ask since when you began to care about family heirlooms, Aunt?" Diana snapped in a tone that made Akko raise an eyebrow. " _Tell me_ where I can find the key to the vault."

Irritation melded from sadness to anger and back to neutral as Aunt Daryl, once again, turned her attention to her fidgeting hands. "Anna keeps the keys in a locked cupboard. See her," she replied in an even voice as she pushed away from the table and signaled for Maril and Merrill to do the same. "If you require any assistance, Diana, you only need to ask. Though my actions have shown otherwise in the past, I, too, am a Cavendish, and this will affect me as well."

Diana nodded, glancing at Akko before meeting her Aunt's piercing gaze. "While I appreciate your assistance with previous… incidents, I would prefer you ensure the safety of the Manor itself. If Akko and I don't succeed—"

"We _will_ succeed," Akko cut in, pursing her lips. "There is no if, Diana."

The blonde sighed with resignation as a phantom stab murmured through her abdomen. Nevertheless, she did find herself grateful for Akko's resolve. "Right," she said, rising. "Well, if we are to succeed, we will need to be equipped to do so. Come, Akko. We have a battle to win."

* * *

The Cavendish vault, it turned out, was nothing more than an arms room—a very old, very dusty, very aged, and very large arms room, at that. As Diana turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open, Akko immediately realized what she had meant when she'd said 'equipped'.

Swords of all different sizes leaned in multiple racks against the walls, hilt up. Steel, silver, and iron, though hidden behind layers of dust, still glimmered a reflection of the dull yellow light of the room. There were daggers placed neatly on shelves, some curved, some straight, some jagged with teeth that made Akko flinch beneath the thought of the physical damage they could cause. There were axes, cleavers, even spears with polished golden tips and ornate runes carved along the shafts. On the far wall, where Akko's crimson eyes fell with a hitch of her breath, hung bows of different sizes and materials, some as basic as a piece of long cedar that looked like it had been carved with a dull knife to shafts so delicately designed that Akko was sure had been held by royalty. Another wall held multiple shields that told a story of age and a rise in status as each Cavendish coat of arms became more and more elegantly carved.

"It will be primitive," Diana said next to her, "but if there are no other means to defend ourselves, I believe a bit of normal weaponry may be our best option."

Akko nodded, stepping into the room as she peered over all the weapons spread out before her. "Have these all been used by the Cavendish family?" she asked, tentatively reaching out a finger to swipe the dust off a dagger with the house emblem carved into the blade.

"Yes," Diana replied. She went immediately to the swords, regarding Akko with a cool stare that very clearly said _'Do not break anything_ ' before turning her attention to the prospects before her. "Either weapons used by my family, or weapons retrieved from fallen enemies."

Akko hummed, looking around with the curiosity of a small child. "So these all belonged to dead people," she mused. She stopped at the ornate spear, lifting it and almost dropping it—it was unexpectedly heavy—while muttering rapid apologies. Diana shot her a glare.

"Well, yes, Akko." Diana let out an exasperated sigh. "Everyone who held one of these weapons is deceased, as, believe it or not, time decides for each of us."

Grumbling, Akko lifted her eyes to the wall of bows. "Stop acting all holier-than-thou," she muttered. Her attention settled on one of the more ornate bows, clearly carved from some sort of bone with the eye of an artist. Jewels were pressed in even waves along the shafts, converging in the center at a grip that looked like it had been smoothed with the hand of an expert.

"My apologies," Diana murmured, lowering her head as she inspected one sword in particular. She lifted it, gently lowering the blade by the hilt to her palm in a test of balance. When the hilt dipped dramatically to one side, she returned it to its home on the rack and moved to another. "I'm just a bit nervous." She eyed Akko nervously as the girl stood on her toes in a desperate stretch to reach the ivory bow. Abandoning the swords for a moment, she moved to Akko's side and reached up to carefully bring it down from its hook.

"Here," she said softly, swallowing hard when Akko's fingers brushed her own, and lingered, as she took the bow.

"Thanks," Akko replied, offering a small smile that made Diana's stomach flip so hard that she immediately turned back to the swords.

"You're—you're welcome," she mumbled in reply.

As Akko turned the bow in her hands, she felt the image of the Shiny Rod prodding at her mind. It felt so much the same… almost as if—

"That would be a suitable choice," Diana said without turning around, "as that bow was inspired by the Claiomh Solais."

Akko felt herself smiling. " _I knew it_ ," she whispered to herself as she held the bow before her and pulled the string back to press into the skin of her cheek. The bow was light, comfortable in her hand, and by the Nine felt almost as if she was holding the Rod itself.

Diana was turning a long silver sword in her hands. She grasped the hilt, feeling the balance and weight in her hand as her body turned in a few practice swipes. It felt good—well, decent enough, and had in fact been made by hand for her great-great-grandmother. She swung it again, faster, feeling the blade bite into the air in an easy arc.

She finally lifted her gaze to find Akko staring at her, slack-jawed, the bow hanging forgotten at her side.

"Whoa," Akko said, suddenly realizing the state of her mouth and closing it. "You know how to use that?"

"Of course." Diana plucked up the sword's leather sheath, taking note of the material's dire thirst for conditioning, and belted it around her waist to make sure it fit. It did. "Fencing is a common sport among wealthy families." She coughed into her hand, lowering her eyes. "I mean, well, I—"

"That's so _cool_ ," Akko replied, not even bothering to touch Diana's slip of hierarchy. She placed the bow down on a shelf and stepped forward, taking the sword from Diana. She held it as though it was made of glass as she weighed it in her hands. "Wow, it's really light."

"Silver is—" Diana inhaled deeply, tensing her jaw at the heat radiating through her from Akko's proximity, "—a very light metal."

Akko ran a finger along the edge of the blade and yelped, nearly dropping the sword as she yanked her hand away. A fresh drop of blood dripped from the new cut on her skin.

"By the Nine, Akko!" Diana exclaimed as she snatched the sword back and slid it into its sheath before Akko could do any further damage. "That is _sharp_!"

"I didn't know!" Akko whined, holding her finger away from her body as the droplet of blood fell to the floor. "It's been in here for ages!"

"It's still sharp," Diana groaned with exasperation. "These are combat weapons that are infused with magic, Akko, they don't dull." She took Akko's hand and turned it palm up, running her thumb over the small cut. It had already stopped bleeding.

Akko frowned up at Diana. "It hurts," she moaned, though the smirk on her face gave her lack of pain away. "My mom used to kiss things that hurt—"

"Akko," Diana scolded, shaking her head. "I am _not_ kissing your cut."

Akko leaned forward with a sheepish grin, fingers turning to wrap around Diana's wrist as she pulled her in. "How about something else, then?"

Diana had no time to protest. Akko's lips pressed into hers, making her breath catch in her throat. On a normal day, she would have told Akko that the matter at hand was far too urgent, that they didn't have time for childish antics, that there were more important tasks that weighed on their minds. Yet, as Akko's body fell against her own and the girl's hand crept around the back of her neck, she could only think that _this_ was the most important thing.

Tentatively, she snaked an arm around Akko's waist and pulled her in with a sharp inhale through her nose. Akko's lips were moving against hers, the weight of the smaller girl was guiding her, pushing her back until the shelf was holding her up and she could hear weapons shifting with the pressure.

Akko's mouth broke away as she panted, tongue darting out to wet her lips. The protruding leather belt of the sword's sheath dug into her abdomen as she met Diana's warm blue eyes with a bright smile. "I—uh, sorry, Diana, it's just—" She panted heavily. "—really attractive with that sword and—"

Diana cut her off, threading her other hand through Akko's soft brunette hair and bringing their lips together once more. She would've been lying if the sight of Akko holding a bow once more didn't make her blood run hot. She had felt the whisper of magic beneath her skin as the memory of holding Akko's hand as they summoned the Shiny Arc, except the magic was now more like the war cry of a thousand soldiers, rushing through her entire body and gripping at her insides.

The sudden sensation of Akko's knee slipping between her legs brought an involuntary moan from the back of her throat. She felt her face flush red with embarrassment as Akko pulled her own burning face away.

"I—I'm sorry, Diana, I—"

But Diana pulled Akko back in, kissing her hard, feeling something deep and primal stabbing in her lower abdomen. She had thought about Akko like this so many times, and the sensation of the other girl moving beneath her fingertips was enough for her to lose composure and—

"Oh, my."

The sound of Anna's surprised voice sent both witches flying away from each other so fast that Diana struck her head hard against the frame of the shelf and Akko flew onto her back with a surprised yelp. With burning faces and heaving chests, they looked anywhere but at each other.

"My—my apologies," Anna stammered, palm raised to shield her eyes as she took a step back from the threshold. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to make sure—"

"It's okay, Anna." Diana rubbed the back of her head, staring hard at the ground because she was pretty sure her face was maroon. She tried to compose herself as much as she possibly could. "We were just… finishing up."

Akko was picking herself off the floor and brushing the dirt off her backside. She quickly turned away and began shoving arrows into a quiver, which she tossed over her shoulder.

"Just—please lock the door behind you," Anna said. She took another step back, lowering her hand and turning around as she strode off down the corridor. The echo of her rapid footsteps slowly fell to silence as Akko turned back to Diana, quiet spreading between them.

"I, er—wouldn't have said _finishing_ ," Akko finally offered in an attempt to break the awkward silence, chuckling.

"Akko, _please_ ," Diana cried as she buried her burning face into her hands, mortified, and rushed from the room while trying to scrape up any semblance of poise left inside her.

Akko simply stared after, rolling her shoulder beneath the leather strap of the quiver. "Eh, I thought it was a good one, given the circumstances," she muttered with a shrug.

With her brand new (well, to her) weapon, which she had already named Shiny Bow in her head, she trailed after the mess of emotions that was Diana.

* * *

Akko knew that rest would be crucial for the next day, but try as she might, sleep wouldn't come.

She stared up at the blank ceiling, letting her mind roll through everything that had happened since they'd arrived at the Cavendish Manor. The attack and the Second Realm, yes, but she felt her thoughts falling more on Diana. On the way her body felt when she curled into it, the gentle squeeze of her hand that said more than words ever could, of the soft lips that Akko never wanted to say goodbye to.

Akko reached around the headboard, running her fingers along the stone. Diana was just on the other side, so close that Akko could probably touch her were it not for the wall between them. She felt a pang of loneliness sear her chest and she rolled over, staring through the window at the glow of the Philosopher's stone.

The sound of the door slowly creaking open made her turn her head. Diana stood in the threshhold, the pale moonlight casting eerie shadows across her form. Wavy blonde hair framed her face in a gentle glow that made Akko's heart skip.

"Diana?"

"Oh, you're still awake, too?" Diana's fingers played with the bottom of her shirt as she stepped more into the light. "I couldn't sleep and I-"

Akko sat up. "Come here."

Diana hesitated, but finally moved forward, her bare feet padding gently against the cold ground. When she reached Akko's bedside, she froze, unsure of what to do. She had come for a reason—a combination of loneliness and the desperate need to be close to Akko—but suddenly she felt self-conscious. The other girl's hands reached forward and she felt the comforting warmth of fingers on her wrists as Akko pulled her in and captured her lips with her own. She let her body sigh into Akko's.

"Akko," Diana breathed as she broke away. "I-"

"Quiet," Akko said, wrapping her arms around Diana's waist. "I do _not_ need Anna barging in again."

Diana nodded, swallowing. She felt Akko's fingers dancing along the edge of her shirt, brushing against her back. She leaned down and pressed her lips once more against Akko's, trying to ignore the head-to-toe throb of her body but failing _miserably._ Akko was kissing her back hard, running her hands up her back, making her skin shiver in response. She brought her leg up and-

Akko held back a moan and instead sighed heavily as she felt Diana against her. Her skin felt like it was on fire, her gut was pressing down on her in a voiceless plea of desire. She tipped her chin up, feeling Diana's breath on her face, her lips on her jaw, her neck. Nine—she felt like she was going to explode.

"Diana," she huffed, drawing the other girl's attention.

"I—I'm sorry," Diana stammered, sitting up. Her chest heaved in quick, short breaths, face flushed. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset." Akko ran her hands over Diana's abdomen, pausing at the crevice of a scar that dipped into her skin next to her bellybutton. "This could be our last night together. And if we-" Akko swallowed. "-if we die, I would rather die with this on my mind." She took the fabric of Diana's shirt in her hand and lifted, almost surprised at the lack of resistance as the other girl simply dipped out of it.

Akko had to squeeze her eyes shut. She inhaled deeply, swallowing hard as she gazed up at the absolute beauty that was Diana Cavendish. Blonde hair fell gently over the shadows of her collarbones, spreading out in soft tendrils across the pale skin of her chest.

"Sugoi," Akko heard herself say.

Diana cracked a smile, well aware of the goosebumps that had spread across her exposed skin. With a quick summon of courage, she grabbed Akko's shirt and pulled, feeling the other girl arch her back obediently as Diana tugged it off.

"Nine," Diana whispered, taking in Akko's athletic body with childishly wide eyes. She leaned down and kissed Akko once again, this time softer, a little hesitant. Her heart was beating so fast that she knew Akko _had_ to feel it, there was no way she couldn't, and her blood was absolutely boiling. Akko was pulling her down, arching into her, and oh Nine her body was reacting in a way that it never had before, and soon she was kissing Akko in a way that made her gasp into the other girl's mouth.

Akko could feel the magic sparking at her fingertips, green flashes of light that burst forward as they ran over Diana's body like she was drawing a map of new territory. Diana's hands were on her— _everywhere_ -and she felt a surge of energy as she pressed into the touch, gasping for air between kisses, and all of a sudden oh Nine help Diana was _inside_ her.

Akko choked on something that sounded like the combination of a gasp and a moan, hips buckling under the sudden pressure as her shoulders rolled and she threw her head back against the pillow.

Diana broke away, breathing heavily through her nose. She looked nervous, almost terrified, but there was a wild look in her eyes that Akko had never seen before but wanted to see again, so many times.

"Are—are you okay?" Diana asked.

The warmth of their magic was spreading around them, making their pulses stagger beneath the weight of the moment.

"Yes," Akko breathed, blinking up at Diana with warm, albeit scared, red eyes.

Diana moved inside her. Akko felt like her heart was in her throat. Her fingers wrapped through blonde hair, squeezing hard, red eyes locking into blue as their uneven breaths became a discordant melody.

Green was glowing all around them now, flashing through the darkness of the room, wrapping and pulsing like veins over their skin. Akko could feel the ebb and flow of the magic they shared, the way she'd felt before when she and Diana gripped the Claiomh Solais together, almost as if her body was composed of the power of the both of them.

And maybe it was.

"Diana," Akko gasped, feeling her chest heave and jerk. "The magic—what if they-"

Diana leaned down, pressing into Akko, her breath tickling the other girl's cheek.

"Let them come," she whispered, and covered Akko's lips with her own.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Akko woke to the familiar scent of lavender and rosemary. The sensation of Diana's bare skin against hers made her stomach twist, but not uncomfortably. She pressed tighter, fingers lazily tracing the dip between her ribcage. She breathed in deep, letting Diana's hair tickle her nose as she nuzzled into the soft skin of the other girl's neck with a content sigh.

She felt Diana stir and raised her head to see sleepy blue eyes blinking back at her. "Hey," she whispered, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face.

Diana opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but instead hummed with content and leaned her cheek against Akko's forehead. She squeezed her eyes shut, relaxing beneath Akko's touch, letting herself enjoy the moment while it lasted.

"How are you feeling?" Diana finally asked, trying, without success, to slow the rise of her heartrate as Akko ran a palm over her hipbone. "Is everything… okay?"

"I feel alright, I think," Akko said. "You?"

"Fine." Diana tensed her jaw at the brush of Akko's lips on her neck. "I think," she added.

Akko hummed, letting her hand wander. "It's early still," she murmured, enjoying the feeling of Diana's body squirming beneath her. "We could—you know—again."

"Akko-" Diana began to scold, but the feeling of Akko's lips on her neck and fingers against her made her gasp. "A—alright," was all she could add as her body melted beneath the other girl's clumsy ministrations. Akko was right, it _was_ early, and Diana would be lying if she said she hadn't woken craving the girl against her.

They had all the grace of a newborn colt testing its legs for the first time. A mess of tangled limbs, of misplaced knees and elbows, of quiet apologies and stifled giggles. Diana wasn't used to not knowing exactly what to do, she wasn't accustomed to the trial and error that came with uncharted territory. But Akko didn't seem to mind.

And, if Diana was being honest, neither did she.

* * *

Akko would have given anything to stay in bed the entire day. But, pending the dire circumstances that the two witches had found themselves in, that option proved to be entirely unavailable.

The day was bright, sunny, but the nip of cold in the air was a firm reminder that winter was on the horizon. The two stood, once more, in the old foxhunting field near the Cavendish Manor, both becoming accustomed to the new weapons they had chosen to wield in the face of the Order. Despite the chill, a sheen of sweat still glistened across Diana's forehead as she practiced swinging the broadsword in graceful arcs, ensuring complete comfort with the weapon before the later events. Her hair, tugged back into a low ponytail, framed her flushed face in messy tendrils.

Pulling her eyes from Diana, Akko tugged steadily at the bowstring, letting it dig into the pads of her fingers. Her left arm stayed locked in front of her, string brushing against her cheek as she steadied the nocked arrow. At the end of a long exhale, she paused her breath and let her fingers relax as the arrow thrummed by her ear to pierce the tree she'd been aiming at.

"You just shot one of my ancestors," Diana muttered, staring at the arrow that had impaled deep into the trunk.

"Oh. Uh, oops," Akko said with a chuckle, lowering the bow and scratching at the back of her neck with her free hand. "My bad?"

Diana stepped behind Akko and slid her sword back into its sheath. "That was a joke. It's a regular tree." She rested a hand on the hilt at her side and nodded her approval at Akko. "I see your time with the Claiomh Solais did not end without a skill transfer," she said.

Akko shrugged, flashing Diana a bright smile. "Guess not," she replied.

Diana felt herself smiling back. She cleared her throat, turning away as the heat rose to her cheeks, and meandered over to the tree that Akko had struck at what would have been center mass on a human. She wrapped her hand around the shaft of the arrow and tugged a few good times until it came free.

"Sharpshooter," she said to Akko, taking a seat on the ground with a huff and swiping her sleeve across her sweaty forehead. "Impressive."

"Hopefully in other ways, too," Akko replied, earning a blush and an, " _Akko!_ " from the other witch. She sat down next to Diana and leaned back against the tree, taking the offered arrow and turning it in her hands.

Diana had failed to hide the amusement in her tone. She leaned her shoulder against the brunette, adjusting the sword at her side and letting the toe of her boot fall against Akko's.

Akko sighed. Though it was cold, and the icy breeze bit into her dry hands, the sensation of magic transfer warmed her to the core. She wanted to stay there, to just enjoy being with Diana. It hardly seemed the time to be walking into danger, to be putting their lives on the line for the good of magic when her emotions were so raw and intense. The timing seemed unfair, though she knew none of this would have come to be otherwise. She _never_ would have made a move inside the walls of Luna Nova—she would have continued to let her feelings run amok in her head as she admired Diana at arm's length.

"Are you scared?" Akko finally asked, turning to study the side of Diana's pale face. The other girl was staring off into the distance, blue eyes unfocused with thought.

"Yes," Diana said. She pulled her gaze to meet Akko's and forced a small smile. "I am. Are—are you?"

She hadn't expected for Akko to say, "Yes." And, when she did, the word filtered into her mind like a foreign concept that had to be learned and understood. She swallowed, studying Akko's serious expression. "You're scared?"

"Yes," Akko said again, turning her eyes down at the arrow she was still fidgeting with. She ran her fingers along the soft, torn feathers at the end of the shaft. "I'm not… scared of the danger. I'm used to that. I mean, it does make me nervous, but what happens, happens. I've learned that I can't really afford to fret over the unknown. I just have to believe, you know?" She sighed deeply, breaking a hand away from the arrow to reach over and thread her fingers through Diana's. Their linked hands came to rest on Diana's thigh. "It's just—"

Her voice broke.

Diana's eyebrows stitched together. She brought her free hand to cup Akko's chin as she gently guided the girl's eyes back to her own. Tears were brimming at the corner of her crimson eyes, and, as soon as blue met red, one broke free and forged a path down her cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just… I'm afraid I might lose you." Akko took a deep, shaky breath and gripped Diana's hand tighter. "I finally _have_ you. I should have done something about it so long ago, but I wasn't brave enough. And now, what if—" She swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut. "What if something happens?"

"Oh, darling." Diana gently brushed Akko's hair behind her ear and planted a soft kiss on her temple. So many questions were running through her mind. How long had Akko wanted the same thing she did? Had Akko's feelings matched her own the whole time? But now wasn't appropriate. No, she could get answers later. _After_ they both made it through the Martian Eclipse… alive. "Everything will be alright," she added, trying to force as much confidence into her voice even though she wasn't exactly sure herself.

Akko said nothing. Instead, she laid her head on Diana's shoulder and sighed, breathing in the girl's familiar scent and letting her breathing steady as quiet fingers combed through her hair. She missed her friends—Sucy, Lotte, Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka. Even Hannah and Barbara. She missed Luna Nova, she missed her classes. Even boring Magical Numerology, even Professor Finnelan's disapproving glower. She wanted to go back, but take this new part of her life—the magic she shared with Diana—along, too.

Diana just sat rigid, feeling Akko's hot tears soaking into her white blouse. Had it been anyone else, she would've found herself appalled at the prospect of her clothing being soiled. But with Akko, she didn't mind in the least. It felt right.

As she stared off over the Cavendish property, watching the sun sink lower on the horizon and bringing, with it, the foreboding oncoming of the Martian Eclipse, it dawned on her that she would do whatever it took to keep the girl at her side safe from harm.

* * *

As the two witches stood before the massive doors to the inner sanctum, Akko could feel her palm sweating against the grip of the Shiny Bow. She stared ahead, teeth clenched in resolve. The only time she had been here before was with Andrew and Anna, when she had defied tradition and burst in to find Diana engulfed in Aunt Daryl's snakes. That hadn't been _too_ bad. After all, she and Diana were able to use magic to fight their way out. There was a single threat.

They had no idea what they would find this time.

And they couldn't use any magic.

Diana's fierce blue eyes were flashing. Her hand rested against the golden hilt of her sword, chest rising and falling beneath her white blouse and vest as she tried to maintain an image of courage. If not for herself, for Akko.

"Aunt Daryl and my cousins will be guarding the Manor," Diana stated, gaze locked ahead. "Are—are you ready, Akko?" she asked, finally turning to look at the other girl.

"As ready as I can possibly be," Akko said.

Diana nodded, placing a hand on the cold stone door. "Then let's get through this. Together."

"Right. Together."

Akko's heart was drumming loud in her ears. Sucking in air, she pressed her hands against the other side of the door and pushed.

There was… nothing.

Her bow was extended out at the ready, hand ready to reach into a quiver to pull out an arrow at the first sight of danger. Diana, too, had drawn the sword from its sheath, the silver blade glimmering in the light of the Philosopher's stone as she wielded it with a trembling hand.

Akko surveyed the dark cavern, the memory of saving Diana during her own attempt to become the Head of House Cavendish flashing through her mind. Even then, she had gone through the door to encounter immediate danger—but, here, there was nothing. No sign of the Order. No sigil. No assassins, no Damien. Nothing.

The silence was making her uneasy.

"Let's… proceed," Diana whispered, clearly just as suspicious as Akko.

The bridge that Diana had constructed in the previous ritual was still in place. Unable to cast the metamorphosis spell, Akko held her breath as she inched across after Diana, struggling to keep her eyes straight ahead and not look at the abyss below.

She sighed with relief when she felt solid ground beneath her feet and raised her bow. Turning in a slow circle as she scanned her surroundings. An echo to their 3 o'clock made her nock an arrow and draw the string of her bow, but it was just a rat scurrying into a crevice. Her gaze swiveled back to Diana and, with a sharp breath, realized that one thing wasn't right.

Diana's mark was glowing a brilliant red.

"Your mark," Akko whispered, watching as Diana's free hand lifted to rub against her neck.

"Yours, too." Diana's voice wavered with fear.

Akko cautiously eyed the path ahead that led to Beatrix and the ritual site. "What's going on? Where are they? If our marks—" her voice trailed off.

Diana turned to the sky, taking note of the small red planet edging closer to the moon with each passing moment. "I… don't know," she replied.

As they moved slowly up the path, their anxiety only grew. The quiet of the sanctum seemed oppressing, and Akko almost wished that there _had_ been an immediate attack as the unknown bore down on them.

Akko was looking up, around, in shadows, in light. Everywhere but down. So when she felt pressure against her ankle, her eyes fell in surprise and slowly widened. She froze.

"Um, Diana," she said, grabbing the other girl's arm to stop her, but was too late. Diana's leg had already struck the wire that had been stretched taut across their path.

Her arms flew around the other girl as she shoved her backwards. An ear-deafening blast ricocheted through the sanctum. The two hit the ground hard and Akko spread over Diana, pressing hard against the other girl and covering her with her own body. She felt something sharp slice through her calf but ignored it. An unbearably shrill ring was resounding through her head. Rocks rained around them, bounced off the walls, screamed past their ears.

When the dust cleared and the sound of fragmentation pinging the ground around them had ceased, Akko raised her head.

Red sigils surrounded them.

"Get up," Akko yelled over the tinnitus that still screamed in her ears.

Diana dove to the side to retrieve the sword that had fallen from her hands and leapt to her feet. The sigils were growing a bright red. "Akko," she said. "Run!"

Ignoring the pain in her leg and the blood streaming hot into her shoe, she took off after Diana, racing down the narrow path until the stone walls widened into a massive cavern.

By then, the sound of footsteps pounding behind them were echoing, loud and foreboding, across the sanctum. Akko readied the Shiny Bow, nocking her first arrow and drawing the string, struggling to steady her breathing as her fingers lingered at her cheek.

At the sight of the first black cloak, she rapidly adjusted her aim and let the arrow fly. It struck the pursuer in the chest with a dull thud and he stumbled back and fell to the ground. Her hand flew back to her quiver for another arrow.

The Order was on top of them in a matter of moments, at least a dozen or more, wands at the ready.

A blur of light flashed by Akko's head. She dove to the side, barely missing another spell that was hurtling in her direction as she fired off another arrow and struck another cloak in the midsection. A little ways away, she could hear Diana grunting with effort and looked over just in time to see the edge of the blade sending a thick spray of red into the air as it sliced cleanly through the body of one of their attackers.

"We—get to—ritual site!" Diana screamed out amidst the chaos, though Akko could only catch a few words. She drew another arrow and loosed it in the direction of a cloak who had raised his wand at Diana, piercing through the back of his hood.

A spell struck Akko hard in the chest. She flew backwards, slamming against the wall, feeling her breath leave her body in one rapid exhale. Her bow fell from her loosened grip. She gasped, lungs heaving in an effort to return the wind that had been knocked clean out of her.

A cloak descended on her, yanking a dagger from a belt at his side and raising it over her. She desperately felt for her bow.

"Akko!" Diana charged forward, diving to the side to avoid two spells being shot at her and descending on the cloak. In one quick move and a loud grunt of effort, she drove the sword so hard through the body before her that Akko could see the tip of the blade emerge from his chest. Hot blood dribbled down onto her neck.

Akko rolled to the side, picking her bow back up and quickly nocking and firing an arrow from the ground to graze the cheek of a cloak that was on top of Diana. He stumbled backwards, giving the blonde witch enough time to whirl and slash the blade across his neck, sending him toppling backwards in a fountain of impossible amounts of red.

The metallic scent of blood impaled her nostrils, making her feel sick to her stomach, but still she pulled arrow after arrow from her quiver, starting to miss more often than not as her injured leg grew weak. She could feel the lower half of her pants soaked clean through, her shoe felt heavy and slick. Droplets of sweat and blood trickled, fast and hot, down the side of her face.

As she slid another arrow into her bow and pulled, a blow to the back of her head sent her sprawling across the floor, sliding into a motionless cloak whose unseeing eyes met hers as she desperately blinked the darkness away. He looked young, almost childish, and for a moment the idea of what she was doing hit her harder than the strike. She was killing, she was taking _lives_ , human lives at that, even if they had been banished to another realm for unspeakable crimes.

But they were trying to kill _her_. They were trying to kill _Diana._

A boot slamming into her back and pressing her against the stone floor made her gasp. She struggled to turn over. Her arms flew out from her sides in a desperate attempt to grab at the limb of the person pinning her down.

"You're too late."

The familiar voice of Damien Cavendish echoed through the cavern and Akko realized, with sudden clarity, that the sound of men shouting spells and magic ricocheting off the walls had ceased.

Akko strained her neck up, panting as she continued to squirm and struggle against the force holding her down. From over the dead man's blood-smeared cheek, she could see Diana. Diana… and Damien.

Damien's arm was wrapped tight around Diana's neck as he drew her into his body. Her face was bright red as she gasped for air, fighting hard against her brother to wrench free. Akko watched her fingers slowly loosen and the silver sword clanged onto stone in an agonizing ring of defeat. Diana lifted bloodshot eyes to find Akko and she struggled with renewed vigor, only to find her efforts in vain.

"Akko," she choked.

Akko felt the tip of a blade against the back of her neck, the prick of her skin and the trickle of blood as the sharp edge pressed in, ready to plunge. Her breath shallowed in fear.

But the final blow never came.

Instead, a strange, repetitive noise filled the sanctum, scattering stone around her as bright beams of light flashed everywhere. Something dove overhead, casting a breeze over Akko's face. She heard an impact above her and the figure who had been holding her down went flying.

" _Murowa_!" came a feminine, familiar voice, and another cloak doubled over in pain.

She watched as Damien's face molded from confidence to surprise. He tightened his grip on Diana. Akko could see Diana's eyelids drooping. Her muscles were still tensing in a futile effort to free herself, but just barely. Damien's fingers twitched and a jagged, glowing crack sprung into the air behind him. A rift.

An explosion and a purple cloud of smoke blew across the cavern and, through the stinging of her eyes, she could swear she saw the writhing bodies of snakes lunging at the cloaked men that had surrounded both her and Diana. A foul odor filled her nostrils.

Through the purple haze, Akko could see Damien stepping back and, before her watering eyes, disappearing with Diana.

"Diana!" Akko made an effort to yell, but could only wheeze as her mouth filled with smoke.

"Akko!"

Another voice, a voice so dear to her, a voice that she couldn't believe she was hearing, came from beside her. She lifted her head, coughing. Her eyes widened.

"Lotte," she wheezed.

Lotte was kneeling at her side, one hand resting on Akko's shoulder. Her magnified eyes were locked on Akko with worry. She helped tug the trembling Japanese witch to her feet.

The thud of sneakers on stone as Amanda's broom skidded up next to her and the redheaded witch did a flying dismount, hair as wild as always. Behind them, Akko could see Sucy, pocketing a vial of bubbling purple liquid. Constanze, lowering one of the massive laser rifles that Akko had once seen, at the time incomplete, in her workshop. Jasminka stood next to her, letting her hands fall from the neck of a cloak, who dropped lifelessly to the floor. Hannah and Barbara were lowering their still sparking wands.

In the middle stood a tall figure with a shock of red hair and crimson eyes brighter than Akko's own.

"Akko," Chariot said, tucking her wand into her holster and leveling her gaze on the dirty, bloody witch who was barely being held up by Lotte. "We thought you might need our help."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Diana took a sharp breath as her eyes shot open. Her body was settled on the soft surface of a bed and, for a brief moment, she thought she might be home. She blindly groped for Akko, but her hands only found cold, vacant space.

"Don't scream."

The ache of her muscles seemed to rush into her all at once. She groaned as she pushed herself slowly up, blinking around the small, dark room that she found herself in. The air was warm and unbearably humid. Strands of blonde hair were clinging to the side of her damp face. The mattress beneath her was hard, lumpy, and the sheets scratched uncomfortably at any exposed skin.

The only light came from the flicker of a candle in the corner, where Diana found a small, crudely built wooden table. Seated in an equally rickety looking chair was Damien, whose elbows rested on his knees as nervous blue eyes met her own.

"Damien?"

Diana's heart leapt with fear. She shot to her feet, reaching for her wand, but found her holster empty. Her eyes fell on the wand that Damien was turning in his hands and she lunged.

"Diana," Damien said, standing and pressing a hand forward to stop the girl before she could get any closer. "Please. I will not harm you."

"You will not harm me?" Diana seethed, feeling her face grow hot. "You expect me to believe that?"

Damien shook his head, lowering himself back into his chair and motioning for Diana to take the other. "No. I don't. But I know for a fact that you're a rational girl who seeks knowledge as our mother once did, and so you will at least listen to what I have to say."

Diana hesitated. Her brother held none of the malice that she had seen before. His usually tidy blonde hair was tousled, his blue eyes soft and pleading. If Diana had to guess, he looked almost… vulnerable.

She was unarmed. There was little she could do. Her muscles tensing with suspicion, she tentatively sat in the wooden chair on the other side of the small table. Damien poured water from a jug into two tankards and slid her one, though she made no move to take it.

"It's just water," Damien said, noting her hesitation. "I promise."

Diana ignored him, regarding him with cool blue eyes. "Where are we?" she asked.

"We are in the Second Realm." He pressed his own tankard to his lips and took a sip. On having no reaction, Diana slowly raised her own and gulped, relishing the feel of fresh water against the back of her dry throat.

Her mind was racing with questions. "And Akko?" She squeezed her eyes shut, imagining the last image that she'd seen of Akko, held to the floor with a sword to the back of her neck, red eyes pleading into her own. She swallowed.

"The Kagari girl is alive," he replied, though his answer didn't entirely convince her.

Diana rapped her knuckles against the grainy wood of the table. "Why am I here? Why have you brought me to the Second Realm? What about the ritual?"

The sound of footsteps echoing outside the room made Damien lift a hand in a cue for silence. Diana held her breath, eyeing the door and the shadow that passed by the light filtering through. When their surroundings grew quiet once more, Damien lowered his hand.

"I have need of you," Damien said. Before Diana could raise another question, he continued. "There is much to explain, and I'm uncertain that time will allow it. However, I will try my best."

"When I was first exiled to the Second Realm, I was a very angry and confused young boy. Are you—are you familiar with the circumstances in which I found myself here?"

"Yes." Diana lowered her eyes and tensed her jaw, staring at the distorted reflection of her filthy face in the silver tankard. "You raised our mother."

"I… did, yes," Damien said. "I was very close with our mother. We had already lost our father. I didn't—I couldn't cope with another loss." He sipped from his tankard before capturing Diana's gaze with his own. "It was a foolish and regrettable decision, but unlike many of the others who occupy this Realm, I did not raise with malicious intent. I just wanted our mother back. Aunt Daryl was the one to discover my actions."

Diana ran her fingers along the cold metal of her tankard, studying the troubled expression on her brother's face as he went on,

"Aunt Daryl… returned our mother. She also tried to stop the actions of the Ministry of Magic. Necromancy is a highly detectable crime, the magical signature of such a spell can be quickly received by the Department of Magical Justice. I was too young to understand the consequences of my actions, yet magical law thought otherwise. The Cavendish name, I believe, had much to do with that. They assumed I was wise beyond my years." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. "How much do you know about the effects of Necromancy, Diana?"

Diana hummed. "Enough," she replied.

"Then you know the soul leaves the body upon casting such a spell?"

"Yes," Diana replied.

"Mine has not."

Diana's eyebrows stitched together. "How is that—" Her voice trailed off.

"The Cavendish family is protected by strong magic," Damien said. He wrapped his hands around his tankard, index finger gently stroking the sweating metal. "It is a blessing from Beatrix, though for some time I considered it a curse. I am surrounded by men and women who care not for humanity. They would quickly turn on their own brethren if it meant a step in the direction of their own desires. For years, I have been forced to hide the presence of my soul. And that brings us to… this." He waved a hand in the air, as if encompassing the whole of the Order's actions in a single movement.

"Some time back, an exile was able to smuggle a Philosopher's stone into the Second Realm without detection. Since then, our current leader has focused the Order entirely on the merging of the Realms and the end of our banishment. As a Cavendish, I was leveraged to a position of power. I did not realize they intended to use our House as the very source of that merger. Diana, what do you know of the Martian Eclipse?"

Diana hesitated. She took a sip of her water before answering. "I must admit I know nothing," she said. "Akko and I searched the archives, but found nothing."

"That's because the Martian Eclipse is a farce, Diana."

Diana said nothing. She wiped a bead of sweat from her temple.

"A Head of House Cavendish can only be chosen by Beatrix during the Venusian Eclipse. I planted the idea of a Martian Eclipse to divert them from the eclipse that took place last year. I informed our leader that the only way a male heir could be chosen was during that time, that it would suit their mission. It was a blatant lie. A male can never be the Head of House Cavendish, Diana. That right belongs to you. You are the heir apparent."

For the first time, Diana realized that her brother looked tired, defeated. "That's why I couldn't find anything. But… why?"

"Word of the Grand Triskellion reached the Second Realm soon after the events occurred. Your name, tied to another who I later learned to be the Kagari girl, came with it. I realized then that you had become the powerful witch that you had always aimed to be. Our mission here had already been set, though I knew then that you would be able to stop us. Atsuko Kagari was an additional reinforcement."

"Akko," Diana murmured, tasting her name with a tinge of sadness.

"I began to track the both of you. I utilized the Philosopher's stone to come to Luna Nova to confirm my beliefs. I pushed the girl from the observatory, knowing that you were below and would be there to break her fall. I wanted to see the connection for myself. You are both powerful witches, you much more so than the other, but the power you share is absolutely remarkable." He shook his head, bringing a finger to his temple in thought. "I would have placed all odds on you alone, but, together, I thought you unstoppable."

Diana let her thoughts dwell on Akko, on the bright green magic that had engulfed them the night before, and felt her breath hitch. "Then why did you—" She brought her eyes to meet Damien's. "The Behemoth? The mark? Everything?"

Damien sighed and leaned back in his chair, folding his long arms across his chest. His black robes rustled beneath his touch. "There are certain parts one must play, Diana, too fool others. I feel you know this well."

Diana bristled. "I assure you, I am no act."

"No?" He narrowed his eyes. "You are too much like our mother, Diana. I am aware of the air of authority that you display before others, when in fact you are just as insecure and humble as the rest. If I am correct in my assumption, the Kagari girl could tell you the same." He coughed into his hand. "I mean no insult."

Diana looked away, finding a crack in the stone floor that she let herself zone in on. Did Akko think she was weak? Is that what he was implying? And did he… _know_ … the depth of their relationship?

"I returned the simulation to the host before the Behemoth could do further damage," he continued, ignoring the expression of turmoil that his sister wore. "I called an end to the mark's symbol before my assassins could take action upon their orders. I trusted that, in time, you would realize the source of their intrusion. You did." He paused, bringing a hand forward to trace a finger along the edge of the round, wooden table. "If I may be so bold to say, though, neither were necessary. The two of you would have overcome."

"You tried to kill _Akko_ ," Diana asserted, pursing her lips as her angry blue eyes flashed back to Damien. "Do you realize a bullet meant for her struck me, instead?"

Damien shook his head. "Do you truly believe I cannot aim true? If I was trying to hit Kagari, it would have been done. I missed on purpose. I did not—I did not realize you had been struck. I see you are fine, though, and therefore I will not dwell on the unfortunate circumstances of my actions."

Diana felt her cheeks burning. Her fists clenched in her lap. "How do you expect me to believe any of this?" she said, rising from her chair and sucking in a deep breath. She thought of Akko, crumpled in the sand as she clutched her chest in pain. Akko, face pressed into the ground with a sword ready to drive into her neck. Akko, hunched over her as agonizing screams flowed from her throat at the sight of Diana bleeding from a bullet that had been meant for her.

"I do not expect you to believe any of it," Damien said, averting his eyes to his hands. "However, I trust that you will. Not only for your sake, but for Kagari's. For the First Realm."

"If you are really on our side," Diana countered, "then tell me how I can stop this."

Damien rose, the candle's flickering flame casting eerie shadows across his pale face. He held out his hand. In it rested Diana's holstered wand.

"You must return the Philosopher's stone to the First Realm. Only then will the rift between our Realms be sealed."

* * *

The glowing crack of the Realm fissure was still sparking in the air, but it was fading fast.

Akko had no time for a warm reunion with her friends, no time to find out how exactly they knew of the events that were unfolding at the Cavendish Manor.

Her entire body ached and she felt a groan rise from the back of her throat.

"We have to get to Diana," Akko said, gritting her teeth through the pain as she slipped the Shiny Bow onto her back and scanned the faces of her friends.

"We're coming with you." Amanda settled her free hand on her hip, the other clutching her broomstick.

Akko shook her head, swiping a trickle of someone else's blood from her eyebrow as she looked toward the fading rift. "You don't understand. It's too dangerous."

"As if you've never led us into dangerous situations before," Sucy mumbled. She folded her arms over her chest. "That's what you're best at."

"Sucy is right," Lotte chirped. "We're your friends, Akko. We're not going to let you go alone."

Jasminka nodded. Constanze lifted her chin in affirmation. Hannah and Barbara looked to each other, then to Akko with a gritty smile.

"I'll stay here," Chariot said, twirling her wand in her hand as she surveyed the sanctum. "I am somewhat familiar with the magic required to cross realms. Croix—er—Professor Meridies once acquainted me with the necessary spells."

Akko's crimson eyes were burning with resolve. "So be it," she said in resignation.

" _Lyonne_ ," Chariot uttered as she swing her wand toward Akko.

Green light swept over Akko's body and, with a sudden jolt of magical energy, she felt the pain in her leg melt away, the ache of her tired muscles fade.

"Go, Akko," Chariot said, her own red eyes flickering with something Akko recognized as a glimmer of confidence. Chariot believed in her. "Bring her back."

"Thank you," Akko said, offering a determined smile at her friends, her friends who stepped forward without a moment's hesitation, before turning to the violet crack hovering in the sanctum. "Thank you, all."

Chariot watched as the eight witches, one by one, disappeared, until she was left with nothing more than the quiet echo of dripping water and the fallen bodies of their enemies.

* * *

Akko did not land in the same place that she had before. This time, she found herself standing on soft grass that shriveled, dead and brown, beneath her feet. They were atop a hill, one that looked down on the looming, Gothic-style castle that held the Order of Aurelion. The grey sky cracked overhead, red light filtering through dark clouds to ignite the world in an eerie orange glow.

"Whoa. Cool," she heard Sucy say behind her.

She could feel her seven friends at her back. Constanze stepped out in front of her, raising her laser rifle as she scanned her unfamiliar surroundings.

"Is this hell?" Hannah asked, clutching Barbara's arm.

"It might as well be," Akko said, glowering at the castle that she knew held Diana. "Come on. We've got to get to her." Without another word, she pulled the Shiny Bow from her back and began to jog down the hill and toward the crumbling castle walls.

She had no doubt her friends were following. She had no doubt they would _always_ follow her, but she had no time to dwell on how lucky she was to have such people in her life. There was always time to be grateful later. Later, when Diana was safe and sound back in the First Realm. When the Order was no longer a threat.

Akko could see a cloak patrolling high atop the battlements of the castle. She crooked her free hand at her friends, directing them to the safety of a high wall as she slid behind the bare carcass of a small tree. When they had all taken cover, she slid an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to her bowstring, squeezing her left eye shut as she pulled back and took aim at the figure high above. Her fingernails brushed her face as she released her grip and the arrow arced through the blazing sky.

She watched the figure take an awkward step, then tip forward over the edge of the wall as he tumbled from his post to the ground below.

"Nice one, Akko," Amanda said as she joined her friends. "Who knew you were actually good at something?"

Feeling remarkably like Diana, Akko said, "Not now, Amanda," and beckoned them to continue on. Ahead, she could see a massive wooden gate in the wall. It wasn't open, but a small door beside it was. She dashed to the edge of the castle, waiting for the others to join before moving slowly toward the entrance, watchful eyes scanning for any members of the Order.

"Akko," Lotte whispered from behind. "What do you want us to do?"

"Just back me up," Akko said, peering around the wall to see a few cloaks patrolling inside. Among them meandered some of the more garnished cloaks she had seen before. Those that weren't assassins, but instead higher ranking members of the Order. She recognized the massive tree that she had seen before, too, stretching its ancient limbs around sky and stone. "And whatever you do, don't hold back. Ready?" She glanced back at the line of friends behind her to see only nods.

She drew an arrow and slid around the corner, letting it fly at the first figure she saw. A cloak with gold and red lined sleeves let out a loud choking nose, staggered, and fell.

That's when all hell broke loose.

As Akko dove for cover, loosing arrows as fast as her hand could move, she could hear the pings of Constanze's laser rifle, the shouts of spells from both her friends and the cloaks. The entire place seemed to erupt in a frenzy of flying stone, the loud ricochet of bullets, and the bright, blinding light of magic.

"Akko, we've got this!" she heard Amanda cry out from somewhere above on her broomstick. "Go find Diana!"

Letting one more arrow fly at an assassin that was taking aim at Amanda with a long-barreled rifle, she lowered her bow and fled into the familiar darkness of the castle.

Her sneakers echoed against stone, splashed through the puddles that lined the damp halls. Only, this time, she wasn't held back by an oversized cloak that snagged on every possible surface. She let her athleticism carry her forward at a quick pace as her eyes adjusted to the dark and began to take everything in.

There was no one around. No one in the halls, no one in the rooms. The place was… empty.

Where could Diana _be_?

She rounded a corner, pulling herself to a halt to catch her breath as her chest heaved. She felt for an arrow, noting that she only had a couple left, as she scanned the grand room laid out before her. It looked like a feast had taken place, though the long wooden tables lay abandoned with half-eaten food and drink. At the far end of the room, a dead tree rose to the ceiling, its trunk hollowed out in an ornately carved throne.

Atop a dark wooden pillar at the side of the throne sat the same, partially chipped away Philosopher's stone that she had seen in the assassin's quarters on her last trip to the Second Realm. Their source of magic. Their source of power. If she could eliminate it…

She stepped forward, letting her feet fall gently so as not to make any noise, as she raised the bow in front of her body.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her whirl.

Her breath came heavy as her red eyes fell on the two figures before her. One tall, the hood and sleeves of the black cloak lined with gold. The other, shorter figure was clad in plain black. An assassin. Upon seeing Akko, the assassin drew a wand and took aim.

Around her, she heard more footsteps as others emerged from the darkness. She glanced around her, swallowing hard at the sea of black figures. Beneath her feet, a bright red sigil burned in an expanding glow. A beacon.

She slid an arrow onto her bowstring and drew it back, sucking in air as she took aim center mass at the shorter figure. If she was going down, she wasn't going down without a fight. She had already decided she would go to the end of the world for Diana—even if that world wasn't her own.

With a silent prayer to the Nine and a twitch of her fingers, Akko squeezed an eye shut and let the arrow fly just as the figure she had taken aim at cried out, in a painfully familiar voice, "Akko, _no!_ "


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

" _Circum Praesidio_!" Diana screamed, just as Damien, beside her, yelled, " _Intra moenia praesidium_!"

Akko's arrow struck the clear purple shield that erupted from Diana's wand, the sharp head piercing into the magical barrier and etching a long, jagged crack across the surface. Along the center of the room sprouted another shield that led a tunneled path to the Philosopher's stone. Spells from the cloaked figures lining the edges of the room began sparking against it in a deadly rhythm.

She watched Akko lower her bow in surprise. Diana dropped her wand and, with it, the shield before her. One hand slid over the top of her head, and the black hood that had shielded her face in darkness fell around her neck. "Akko," she murmured, unable to hide the relief that laced her voice.

Akko blinked in disbelief at the girl standing before her. At the bright blonde hair that fell limp around the girl's pale face, which was smeared in dirt and dark, dried blood. Akko felt her heart stutter, and for the briefest moment the strange world around them melted away, the danger of their looming killers with it. "Diana?" she heard herself say.

She wanted to run forward, to throw her arms around the beautiful figure in the black cloak, but the sudden realization of the man at her side made her raise her bow once more. His wand was still held up, teeth grit in determination as he forced more magic into the shield.

"Damien," she growled, nocking an arrow.

Diana twitched her wand and Akko yelped at the sharp pain that flashed through her wrist. Her hand flew from her bow, the arrow skipping across the stone floor. "I will apologize for that later, Akko, but trust me when I say he is not the enemy."

"You must—the Philosopher's stone," Damien wheezed as he tensed his arm muscles and reinforced the barrier around them. "Quickly!"

Akko did not dwell on Diana's actions, nor did she hesitate. She whirled, feeling the warm glow of the red sigil against her legs, and broke into a sprint toward the shimmering blue light of the Philosopher's stone. All she had to do was grab it, all she had to do was tuck it under her arm and-

A sudden, ear-splitting crack boomed through the hall. The floor rumbled beneath Akko's feet as though it was being torn to pieces by some invisible entity, and she felt herself hurtling backwards through the air. She struck something soft that she immediately recognized as Diana, and the two crumpled to the floor.

A loud voice, one that Akko recognized from her first visit to the Second Realm, shrilled into the ensuing silence with a forceful blow.

"I fear that will not be happening."

The two witches looked up. Beside the carved wooden throne, one hand glowing brilliantly as it rested on the Philosopher's stone, loomed the large figure of an aged man in a red cloak lined with gold. His long gray hair fell in neat waves over his shoulders, a beard just as long reaching down the front of his decorated robe. Black eyes stared down at them from behind a long, hooked nose.

"I didn't know Gandalf was going to be here," Akko muttered.

The barrier surrounding them had faded as Damien fell to his knees beside them, yet no spells came their way. The black-cloaked figures had shrunk back into the shadows, almost as if they had never been there to begin with.

"Damien Cavendish," the man said as he stepped forward, his powerful voice lifting with a tone of bemusement. "You have made a tremendous mistake."

* * *

"You people are _so_ annoying!" Amanda screamed as she dove straight at the ground and fired off a spell at a cloak, yanking herself up at the last minute. The spell struck its target, but he didn't seem affected in the least. He pressed the stock of his rifle into his shoulder and took aim at the wily redhead, who began swerving in the air to avoid the oncoming bullets.

Constanze adjusted her aim and pressed into the trigger, firing off lasers in quick succession to send the cloak hurtling into the wall.

Amanda flashed her a grin and a thumbs up. "Thanks, Conz!"

The German witch nodded back and leveled her gun once more, sending quick bursts in every direction as she tried to hold off the swarm of cloaks that were pouring from the many hallways into the courtyard.

Lotte had just finished a haunting lullaby that could hardly be heard over the shrieks, grunts, and barrage of non-stop bullets. A small red spirit burst forth from a statue in the far corner of the courtyard and, after offering a small wave of appreciation at the Finnish witch, rolled into a massive fireball and hurtled down one of the many entrances leading into the wide expanse. Cloaks tried to dive out of the way, but instead found their robes aflame and were still struggling to put out the fire while Barbara threw spell after spell to end them then and there.

Sucy circled the massive tree in the middle of the yard, completely ignoring the actions around her and slowly bending out of the way of impeding spells. She turned her vial of potion upside down and dribbled the sizzling purple liquid as she walked, watching as massive mushrooms sprouted from the ground. The tips of the mushrooms opened in a mouth, sharp teeth flashing as they whirled and snagged attackers at random, gobbling them down only to shoot them up a moment later in a blur of black and purple. She snickered with amusement, standing back to enjoy the scene as her creations stretched to and fro, a formidable foe to unsuspecting cloaks.

Hannah and Jasminka moved together, the former tossing spells at random opponents while the latter barreled into them with all her strength. The Russian witch had no problem with using her fists. She grinned with satisfaction as her knuckles connected in an uppercut to a cloak who had risen his wand in defense, sending him flying backwards and crashing into a mushroom that snatched him up before he could react.

Even still, with all their might, they found themselves growing weary. The Order kept coming, and with it fatigue.

"Where is Akko?" Lotte huffed through pants, hand quivering on her wand as she shot off spells at two assassins who were rushing her from different sides. A rock from a bullet striking nearby hit her square in the lens. She winced as the glass shattered in front of her eye. The cloak nearly shot off another, which surely would have hit her, but a stray spell from Hannah caught him in the side of the face and he collapsed on the spot. "She should've been back by now!"

Amanda felt the wood beneath her hand splinter as a bright blue spell caught her broomstick. The broom gave way and snapped. She braced into the fall, gritting her teeth as she crashed hard into the uneven stone. "We can't hold on much longer!" she cried as she pulled herself back to her feet, regarding her broken broom with a loud groan.

Constanze was trying desperately to fire her laser rifle, which had overheated and was pouring smoke from the sides and barrel. In a desperate attempt of self-preservation, she wielded the burning weapon in melee, smashing it into the face of a rushing cloak.

Jasminka, for all her strength and determination, was tiring. Sweat was pouring down her face as she strained to maintain her power. But her enemies were no longer as weakened as they could have been—Hannah's wand was sparking at the tip as her magic slowly dwindled from overuse.

Barbara was resting her hands on her knees, lifting her wand and shouting spells as needed, though she looked like she was about ready to faint.

And Sucy, desperately shaking out the last drops of her empty potion in an attempt to create more mushrooms as the others withered away, could only say, "Akko is going to be my test subject for life after this."

A loud clap of thunder sent silence coursing through the courtyard as both witches and cloaks alike looked to the sky, which had turned completely gray in an instant. Against the trunk of the great tree, which was scarred with fresh damage from spells and bullets alike, etched a great purple glow.

"It's Chariot," Amanda yelled, pointing the splintered tip of her broom to the rift. "We have to go!"

"But— _Murowa!_ -Akko!" Lotte cried out.

"There's no time," Amanda replied breathlessly, bursting into a sprint in the direction of the Realm fissure. "It's Akko! She'll make it back! She always does!"

Amanda leapt forward and disappeared.

The others had no choice but to follow. Sucy and Lotte were the last, both looking over their shoulders in desperation to find the Japanese witch.

"Amanda is right," Sucy murmured to Lotte, placing her hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Akko is too dumb to die. We'll see her in no time."

Lotte stared down the dark hall that Akko had disappeared into and took a shaky breath. "I sure hope you're right," she said, before stepping into the quickly dimming light of the rift and leaving the Second Realm altogether.

* * *

The figure towered over them, wrinkled fingers curling at his sides as he stared at the three witches on their knees with glimmering black eyes.

Damien grit his teeth together, snarling as bright blue eyes flashed at the menacing being before them. "I will not let you do this, Aurelion."

"Aurelion?" Akko whispered, eyebrows scrunching together. "Like, _the_ Aurelion? No wonder he's so old."

"Akko, _quiet_ ," Diana hissed.

"Ah, I see you have brought me the ones we have been seeking. Diana Cavendish. Atsuko Kagari. I trust the Second Realm has been treating you kindly?"

"About as kindly as Professor Finnelan on her worst day," Akko growled, glaring up at Aurelion. She felt her eye twitch as she tightened her hand on the grip of the Shiny Bow.

"Diana, you must get to the stone," Damien murmured.

Aurelion lifted his hand, his weathered fingers extending toward Damien. He flicked them to the side and the blonde man reeled back in pain, hands flying to his throat as he gasped for air. "Silence, Cavendish. Did you honestly believe you could fool me so easily?" He curled his fingers into a fist and Damien made a loud choking noise. "You are but a boy." His hand dropped to his side and Damien fell forward, gasping in a desperate effort to fill his lungs.

Diana had firmly planted a hand on the cold stone as she glared up at Aurelion.

"You brought them right to me, as I knew you would." Aurelion sneered at Damien, whose red face was slowing turning back to normal as his breath steadied. "The Martian Eclipse. A clever ruse, but I have seen more generations of Cavendish than you can imagine. I know the traditions of the Great House, as much as I knew you would rely on the power of your sister. Ah, but the other girl, as well—what a pleasant surprise she is."

He leveled his dark eyes on Akko, who blew her sweaty fringe from her eyes. "A hardly capable witch, yet somehow possessing the ability to harness so much power in the company of the other," he continued, raising a hand to stroke his beard in thought. "Though a century before my time, I believe the only other instance of this can be found between Beatrix and Woodward. The magic they produced when together went unrivaled. Until... well, until now. How is that so?"

"Let them go," Damien snarled, blonde hair falling around his sweaty forehead. "They serve no purpose for you."

"No purpose?" Aurelion tilted his head back and laughed. A shrill, choppy kind of laughter that Akko immediately hated. "You are mistaken, Damien, for these witches are the entire purpose. Your House was never the goal. It's quite interesting that you believe so much in your wit. Do you think I could not taste the soul inside you? That I couldn't feel it's very aura? You radiate humanity like a flame in the dark. A righteous criminal, indeed. You simply made things easier."

"What do you want from us?" Diana asked, fingers slowly edging to her wand. Aurelion saw and, with a flick of his fingers, sent her hand right back to the floor. Her lips pulled back in anger.

"What do I want?" Aurelion laughed again, and Akko squeezed her eyes shut and willed him to stop. It was worse than nails on chalkboard, it was like scraping burnt potato peelings off a baking sheet. "Here I thought the Cavendish family held a level of intelligence far above the rest of the witching world. How wrong I was."

He raised his hand once more, this time curling his fingers in the direction of Akko. Her head tilted back as she wailed, bright green light slowly filtering from her skin to linger in the air before her. "The magic you share is far more powerful than this petty Philosopher's stone. How the world chose to waste it on the two of you, I will never understand." His teeth grit with concentration as his fingers tightened. Akko cried out, fingernails scraping against the stone floor as her entire body quivered. One hand was fighting, straining to reach the single arrow in her quiver, but she found her own muscles were failing her as the magic was pulled from her body.

"Remember what I said," Damien said in a low voice to Diana, glaring at the focused stare on Aurelion's face from beneath white-blonde eyebrows. "Together, you're unstoppable."

Before waiting for a response, Damien reeled back, his arm rounding as his wand flew from its holster and pointed directly at Aurelion. " _Murowa!_ "

Aurelion stumbled backwards in shock, his hand dropping. The green tendrils of magic flowed back into Akko's body and she gasped, lurching forward on her knees and steadying herself with her palms. In an instant, Diana's hand was covering hers and, as if Akko could read her mind, and maybe she could, at this point, because she swore she could hear Diana's voice in her head screaming, " _The bow_!", she reached for the final arrow in her quiver and slid it into place.

Damien went flying back as a red orb slammed into his chest. They had but a moment, but it was enough.

As Akko gripped the bow, Diana's fingers intertwined with hers. Akko could feel the magic channeling into her, brilliant and unwavering, as the two rose to their feet.

" _Noctu Orfei_ -"

Power surged between them, bright green magic twisting and arcing around their bodies as Akko drew the bowstring taut. The arrow seemed to flicker with emerald flames that licked the air and engulfed the bow itself.

"- _-Aude Fraetor_!" Akko finished with a shout as her fingers opened and the arrow erupted forward in a frenzy of kinetic energy. The magic pulsed around it as it arced through the air, leaving a streak of green magic behind it.

Diana could see Aurelion lifting his hand as though to counter, but it was too late. The glowing arrow struck him hard in the chest and he spun backwards, mouth opening in a silent plea before closing as his entire body erupted into a shower of burning embers. The Philosopher's stone tumbled from its home on the pedestal and dropped to the floor, rolling slowly toward them.

Aurelion was... gone.

The black-cloaked figures emerged once more, wands raised for a fight. Akko drew her wand.

" _Circum Praesidio_!" Akko and Diana shouted in sync, their hands still gripped together in a tight hold. A new barrier flew from the tips of their wands and formed a circle around themselves and Damien, effortlessly reflecting the incoming spells of their attackers. The Philosopher's stone came to a rest at their feet.

Damien was still on his knees, coughing and wheezing, the right side of his cloak smoldering. Akko could see and smell the burnt skin beneath, the blood trailing slowly down his side. He clutched at his wound, bloodshot blue eyes rising.

"Damien," Diana said, squeezing Akko's hand tighter as she held the barrier firm. "Come with us."

"I—I cannot," Damien gasped. "You must go. I will—open—rift," he choked out as his body swayed. He lifted his wand with a trembling hand and pointed it in the direction of the wooden throne.

Damien's blue eyes fell on Akko's, and for a moment she felt her heart lurch at the familiarity. Her nostrils flared as she powered more magic into the shield to deflect the slew of spells from the cloaks.

"Take-" Damien struggled to hold his wand up, but his gaze never faltered. Sweat poured down the sides of his temples. "Take care—of my sister," he finished, before squeezing his eyes shut and whispering a chant.

A loud boom that Akko and Diana now knew as the sound of the opening between the First and Second Realm erupted through the hall. A bright purple crack etched through the air, flaring like a beacon before them, calling them home.

"Damien," Diana said once more.

"We have to go," Akko said. "Diana, we have to go. Now!"

Hesitantly, Diana let her wand lower. The barrier around them wavered and pulsed. With a quick twitch of her wrist, Akko canceled the spell altogether, wrapped her free arm around Diana's waist, and dove for the fissure. She squeezed the Philosopher's stone to her body with all her might, determined to keep the magical source in her possession.

The two looked back and, for the brief moment before their own world rushed at them, they could see the light of a dozen spells devouring Damien Cavendish in a burst of flames.

* * *

Akko and Diana landed hard on their shoulders.

Akko laid still, breathing hard as she stared up at the dripping stalactites above. She could feel the jagged edges of the Philosopher's stone tight against her side, the soft, stirring body of the girl in her arms.

"Akko?"

"Diana," Akko breathed. "I'm here." She slowly pushed her body up. Her hair was sticking to the side of her face, matted with sweat, blood, and dirt. Her whole body trembled as she looked around.

They were back in the sanctum. Back where they'd started. The bodies were gone. There were no bloodstains, no evidence that a fight of any kind had occurred. It was eerily quiet.

"Are you... okay?" Akko asked, turning her attention to Diana as the blonde witch sat up beside her.

"I'll be honest and say that I've been better," Diana replied, lifting a hand to run her fingers over the fabric of the black cloak she still wore. "Are we—are we home?"

"Yes," Akko answered. "At least, I think we are."

"Girls!"

The voice of Chariot echoed through the cavern. Akko looked up to see the red-headed witch rushing toward them. Behind her, their seven battered friends stepped forward. Amanda, clutching her broom, which was broken in two, and sporting a black eye. Lotte, the lense of one of her glasses shattered, her short orange hair askew. Sucy, with her right sleeve burned clean off. Constanze, clutching her still smoking laser rifle. Jasminka, with a wide grin, looking no worse for the wear. And Hannah and Barbara, frightened and bleeding in some places, but still in one piece. They were all there—they'd all made it back.

"Diana!" Hannah and Barbara shrieked together. They rushed the blonde witch just as she was clambering to her feet and tackled her into a tight hug.

"We thought you were never coming back," Sucy said as she stepped up to Chariot's side. "Which would have made our room much more peaceful." Still, she embraced Akko in a tight hug.

Lotte, with a shrill, " _Akko, thank the Nine_!" joined her.

"I never had a doubt," Amanda said, a wide grin spreading across her dirty face.

"Miss Constanze had determined the high probability of a positive outcome and was expecting your arrival at any moment," chirped Stanbot from Constanze's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're back, but all that fighting made me hungry," muttered Jasminka as she rubbed her stomach.

"I made a connection between realms quite some time ago," Chariot said as she watched the girls reunite. "I was hoping the two of you would come through, but you never did. I had to end it for the safety of the Realm." She paused, red brows furrowing as she glanced between Akko and Diana. "How did you-?"

"Later," Akko said, sighing into the arms of her best friends. "We'll explain it all later."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Akko had the opinion that a shower had _never_ felt better.

Her wet hair was still dripping down the front of her t-shirt as she padded into the massive den, feeling relief as her bare feet found the soft surface of a rug and the warmth of a raging fire. Most of her friends had already gathered in the room. Lotte was snuggled up on a rather haughty looking velvet sofa, nose deep in her new Night Fall. Her glasses had been mended at some point.

Sucy lay stretched out across the sofa, toes digging into Lotte's thighs. Her lavender hair was draped over her face, mouth open in a gentle snore as she snoozed.

Two figures were huddled close together right in front of the fire, a soft brown blanket draped over their shoulders as they stared into the flames. Akko could see the bright, wild hair of Amanda and the lighter red braid of... Hannah?

Eyebrows stitched together, Akko stepped toward them. Hannah turned her head, lips spreading into a sheepish smile. From where she stood, she could see their hands intertwined together.

"Oh, hey," Amanda said, following Hannah's gaze to find the small Japanese witch standing over them. She flashed her signature smirk. A half-circle of dark purple and blue had settled around the outside of one of her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Um, fine, all things considering," Akko replied, fingers playing with the bottom of her shorts as she stared at the two girls. "What's—uh, are you-" She felt a hot blush rising into her cheek and reached up to scratch the back of her neck. "Er... together?"

Hannah flushed and looked away.

"Oh, yeah." Amanda shrugged and gave Hannah's hand a squeeze. "I guess we are."

Akko's toes curled into the carpet. She struggled to regulate her confused expression, but knew she was failing miserably. "How—I mean, when-"

"I believe that's a story for another time," Amanda said, throwing Akko a wink with her good eye. "If I'm not mistaken, this one is about you and Diana."

Akko glanced around the room. Constanze had dismembered her laser rifle and was carefully inspecting the different components with an expert eye. Jasminka was happily munching on a tart as she watched. Barbara was stretched out on the rug alongside the two, finger tracing lazily over the intricate patterns of the material. Even Chariot was leaned back in a very upright, very Victorian looking armchair, head drooped onto her shoulder as she rested. One hand dangled from the armrest, glasses barely clutched between relaxed fingers.

But Diana was nowhere to be seen.

"Speaking of Diana," Akko said, ignoring Amanda's implication, "Where is she?"

"I think she's still in the shower," Hannah said, bringing her eyes back to Akko's. "She's been in there a really long time, though."

"Yeah, um, I guess she has." Akko ran a hand through her wet hair, taking a step backwards and dipping her chin as she felt blood rushing to her face. "I'm just going to go, uh, make sure she's okay," she mumbled, turning and hurrying from the room before Amanda could make any snide comments.

She could hear the water streaming in a steady rhythm inside. Steam slithered from beneath the door, rising in quickly evaporating wisps around Akko's legs as she leaned forward and gently rapped the wood with her knuckles. "Diana?" she called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll be out soon," she heard Diana call from inside.

But Akko could tell that she most certainly _wasn't_ fine. Maybe it was how absolutely normal she sounded, almost cheerful. Maybe it was the magic she felt seeping into her body and tugging her forward. Either way, she grabbed the door handle and turned, finding it unlocked, and slowly eased inside.

She could hardly see for the steam that rose in thick clouds from the shower. Diana's towel was still resting, neatly folded, at the edge of the sink.

Through the warped, patterned glass, she could see Diana's thin, pale body beneath the stream of water. Her hands rested on the wall before her, eyes squeezed shut. Her blonde hair draped, wet and straight, over her back and around her face.

"Akko," Diana said, unmoving. "Please go. You being in here is—it's inappropriate."

"It's not like I haven't _seen_ -" Akko coughed into her hand and stepped forward, trying not to stare as she spoke. "You've been in here a really long time. It's not like you to take long showers. What's going on?"

With a heavy sigh, Diana reached down and turned the water off. She slid open the shower door, stretching a hand forward to snag the towel Akko was holding out for her. "I said I'm fine," she repeated, though when she finally lifted her eyes as she wrapped the towel around her body, Akko could see the red lining the soft tissue beneath her blonde eyelashes.

"No you're not," Akko said, swallowing hard as she stepped forward. She watched a trickle of water drip from Diana's nose. The girl had a bright red scratch that reached across her cheekbone, and Akko resisted the urge to caress it. Her face was flushed from the heat, and Akko reflected for a brief moment on just how pretty she was. "It's Damien, isn't it?" she finally asked.

Diana folded one arm over the top her towel, bringing the other to pinch the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "It's—it's silly, Akko. I hardly knew him. Hannah and Barbara are closer to siblings than he ever was to me."

"It's not dumb." Akko scratched her temple, not really sure what to say. She'd never lost _anyone_. "He was your brother. That still counts."

Bloodshot blue eyes met her own and, with a sharp intake of breath, Akko realized that tears were streaking down Diana's face. She reached forward, but Diana pushed her hand away.

"I don't need you to see me like this," Diana muttered, folding her hand over her eyes. "You already think I'm weak. Please just... give me a few more minutes."

"Weak? Are you kidding?" Akko's dark eyebrows furrowed. "You're the strongest person I know, Diana. I _wish_ I was as strong as you. And if crying makes you weak, I must be the weakest person on the entire planet."

Diana shook her head. "That's not true." Her hair was slowly curling back in the humidity, though water still fell in slow trickles over her shoulders and chest. Drops fell from her legs onto the floor. She looked down, twisting her toes against the mat she was soaking. "He was all that was left of my family. I know he was an exile. I know he did terrible things. But to know that he was still a Cavendish—that he still honored our family—it hurts. It hurts, Akko. And he didn't—he didn't deserve-"

Diana's voice broke. Her fingers flexed as she pressed them into her eyes, willing the tears to stop, struggling to choke back the sob that stung the back of her throat. She felt Akko's hands closing around her body, pulling her in tight and holding her there even while her muscles tensed uncomfortably. After a moment, she let herself relax into the embrace, closing her eyes and pressing her face into the soft skin of Akko's cheek.

Akko said nothing. Diana's skin was damp against her arms, her hair was soaking through her clean t-shirt, but she didn't care. She could feel the hot tears leaking from Diana's eyes, her thin shoulders curling in as her body rocked with silent sobs. The other girl felt small in her arms, almost childlike, and the magic that seeped from her body seemed to throb in a dull ache.

She knew that Diana felt alone. She didn't have to say it. She had lost her father, her mother, and now her brother. All she had left was a pretty questionable aunt and two awful cousins. And Anna, who Akko knew cared deeply about Diana, but was still, in the end, just the help.

But she had more than that. She had everyone back at Luna Nova. She had all the professors that adored her. She had Lotte, Sucy, Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka.

She had Hannah and Barbara.

She had _Akko_.

* * *

"I began research immediately after your departure," Chariot was saying once they'd all gathered while Anna was busy preparing sleeping quarters for the multiple unexpected guests. "Headmistress Holbrooke and myself were very worried, so I took it upon myself to find a way to help."

Night Fall had slipped from Lotte's hands as she snored against the stiff pillow she'd been resting on. Sucy, too, was fast asleep, one arm stretched across her face, a puddle of drool seeping onto the cushion of the sofa. Hannah and Amanda were still cuddling close by the fireplace (and had earned a _very_ shocked stare from Diana when she'd walked in) and Akko sat near them, enjoying the fire warm on her back.

Aunt Daryl, Maryl, and Merrill had joined and were seated in the corner in their nightgowns, listening attentively, though saying nothing.

Constanze and Jasminka were still sitting on the floor, the former clicking the last pieces of her laser rifle back into place. Barbara had moved to sit at a small table, which held a very ornate and old looking chessboard, with Diana, who had her hands wrapped around a full cup of steaming tea. She had remained silent the whole time, blue eyes locked on the ground in front of her in thought.

Akko wanted her to come over and climb into her arms in the way that Hannah had done with Amanda. Her chest ached for the touch, for the affection, but she knew it wouldn't come.

"I did as much research as possible on the Order of Aurelion. I found a text that detailed their capabilities and limitations, and a phone call to Professor Meridies—you know she's working at the Ministry now, right?-confirmed that there was a Philosopher's stone that was unaccounted for."

"If they knew all this, why weren't _they_ doing the dirty work?" Akko grumbled, picking at scab on her knee.

"They were only aware of its disappearance," Chariot clarified, "Not its location." She ran a hand through messy red hair. "We were also able to reach out to a specialist in the field of ancient cults, who had quite extensive knowledge on the Order. It took quite a while, and I feared that we wouldn't make it in time to help."

"We," Akko repeated, glancing around at her friends. "How did they—why-"

"They chose to remain at Luna Nova for the holidays," Chariot said. She acknowledged Anna with a nod when the maid returned. "They knew something was wrong and they care very deeply for the two of you. There was no convincing them otherwise."

Akko felt herself smiling.

"Can't get rid of us," Amanda said. The flickering light of the fire lit the playful grin that spread across her lips.

"We were very worried," Hannah added.

Anna cleared her throat from the entrance of the room. "If I may, honored guests, your rooms are prepared. You will find that your luggage has already been carried up for you. If anyone needs any additional accommodations, you only need ask."

"Thank you, Anna," spoke Aunt Daryl from where she sat stiffly, one leg crossed delicately over the other. "I know our visitors were unexpected, so I certainly appreciate your diligence."

"Stay."

Akko looked up to see that Diana had lowered her teacup and leveled her eyes with the rest of the room. She pushed her drying blonde hair behind her ear and repeated herself.

"Stay. We will enjoy the remainder of the holidays here," she said.

Anna nodded, offering a small bow and a, "Certainly, my lady," before taking her leave.

"Oh, we don't want to be a burden," Chariot said with a smile and a wave of her hand. "We were planning on heading back to Luna Nova in the morning. I wouldn't expect your household to go out of the way to accommodate us."

Diana shook her head, glancing at Akko before returning her gaze to Chariot. "No, I insist. We couldn't have possibly sealed the Second Realm without your help. Akko and I are alive because of you. It would be my pleasure to host everyone for the remainder of our break. Besides-" Diana looked down, and Akko could see the hint of a blush cropping up on her cheeks. "It would be nice."

"Nine, that's so cool of you!" Barbara exclaimed, grinning with glee. "A Cavendish holiday! I've always wanted to visit, and now I get to spend my whole break here? Wow, Diana!"

"Do you think we can stay in the same room?" Akko heard Hannah whisper to Amanda. She shot them a wide-eyed look, which resulted in two equally red faces staring back at her.

Akko sighed as she turned and looked into the orange flames that gently licked the confines of the fireplace. For the first time since the appearance of the red sigil, she felt a warm comfort envelope her entire body. She was safe, and so was everyone that she loved. Maybe a little different, maybe a little bit tired, or sore, or bruised... but safe. That was all she could ask for.

* * *

"Akko?"

Akko looked up from the Shiny Chariot card she had been mulling over to find Diana standing in the open doorway of her room, one hand resting on the frame.

She shoved the card under her pillow, blushing as she sat up a little straighter and shifted her legs beneath the covers. The light from the lamp on her side table filled the room in a comforting orange glow.

"Would you mind if I-"

"Not at all," Akko interrupted, scooting over on her bed to open room for Diana. One hand lifted the covers in an invitation.

Diana's cheeks turned a bright red. "It's not that nature of visit but-" she swung the door quietly shut and padded to the bed, hesitating for a moment before climbing into the bed and sliding under the covers with Akko. She felt the other girl's soft legs intertwine with her own as she settled against the pillow with a sigh. Her pulse quickened as their magic threaded together, a wavering green glow settling around their bodies.

"Hey," Akko said, lifting a hand to Diana's face to cup her cheek. She ran a finger along the cut beneath her eye, breath shallowing as her gaze fell to pale lips.

"Hi," Diana replied in a way that made Akko's chest throb. "I wanted to apologize."

Akko narrowed her eyes, bringing her hand to Diana's arm and gently tracing the smooth skin of her arm. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I was a bit out of line earlier." Diana squeezed her eyes shut, sighing beneath the other girl's soft touch. "I'm not accustomed to having my vulnerabilities on display."

"What vulnerabilities," Akko grumbled. "You're basically perfect."

"Hardly." Diana's eyes blinked back open, blue meeting comforting red. A oppressive silence fell over them like a heavy blanket, unspoken words echoing through both of their minds.

"Akko-"

"Diana, I-"

Akko chuckled. "You first."

Diana hesitated. "Akko, do you... regret... the other night?" she asked, tensing her jaw as she peered into the Japanese witch's crimson eyes.

"Of course not," Akko said quickly. "Do—do you? Or did you only... since we might've died and all..."

Diana's blue eyes softened. "That's preposterous," she murmured. "I regret nothing." She slid an arm over Akko's waist, fingers brushing mindlessly against her skin. "But I thought I had lost you today. I was—I was really frightened."

"Hard to kill a witch," Akko said, feeling her skin tingle with warmth wherever Diana's fingers fell. "At least, that's what Sucy says. Besides, I thought I had lost _you_. You just... disappeared. You were gone. I'm not sure I can handle many more of these death defying adventures."

Diana felt a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Me, neither," she replied. "But death defying adventures seem to like your company."

"I—I'm sorry," Akko stammered, frowning. "I know trouble follows me. If you can't—if you don't want-"

"I want," Diana whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss on Akko's soft lips. "I have wanted for a _very_ long time."

Akko's heart was racing. She felt her cheeks burning as Diana pulled back, the ghost of her touch still whispering on her lips. "How long... exactly?" she heard herself ask, breath hitching in her throat as light blush dusted across the blonde's face.

Diana blinked away in thought. A few moments passed before she finally said, "I'm not certain. I can't offer a timeline or a specific moment. It just happened."

"I can," Akko said with confidence, smiling into Diana's bewildered blue eyes. "It was that night I found out about Chariot and—well, you know—the whole magic thing. You found me in the snow in Blytonbury and took me for tea, remember?"

"Of course I remember."

"And you were—I don't know, I can't really explain—you were different. Don't look at me like that," Akko said with a chuckle, "I mean different in a good way. It was easy to admire you _before_ that. I mean, you're beautiful and smart and _so good_ at magic." She ran her finger over Diana's cheeks, over the deep flush that built with the compliments. "But that night... I don't know. I fell—I fell-"

"Hey, Akko!"

The door to Akko's bedroom burst open. Amanda, Sucy, and Lotte rushed in. Diana and Akko lurched away from each other so fast that Akko fell from her own bed in a tangle of sheets and flailing limbs, smacking her head on the floor with a groan and a, "Why _me_?" as Diana yanked the remaining blankets up to her chin as though she was going to hide under them. Her whole face flared a bright cherry red and Akko was sure that steam was going to start coming from the other girl's ears.

"Oh," Lotte said. "Hey, Diana."

"Nice," added Amanda with a smirk.

"Knew it," drawled Sucy.

"It's not—nothing inappropriate-" Diana stammered, burying her face in her hands.

Amanda grinned as she ran her hands through her hair. " _This_ time," she said, chuckling. "Akko, we just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out with us for a bit, but I see you're busy, so..." she waved a hand at Akko, who was scrambling to her feet and rubbing her head, and Diana's mortified face. "Nevermind." She turned and left, slapping her hand over her mouth as her laughter intensified.

"Took you two long enough," Sucy muttered, the corner of her lip quirking up in a sneer. "Anyway, see you," she added before following Amanda.

Lotte lowered the hand that had risen to her mouth, blushing furiously, but also smiling so wide Akko thought she was going to tear the corners of her mouth. "I'm so, _so_ sorry," she said, backing slowly out of the room before adding a, " _So_ cute! Like Edgar and Arthur!" and taking off after the others.

"By the Nine," Diana groaned into her hands when they'd left, watching as Akko stumbled, blushing, to the door and quickly shut it. "This is humiliating."

Akko turned, eyebrows scrunching together as she stared at the blonde witch sitting in her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest. "Wait, are you really... embarrassed?"

"No, no," Diana said quickly, lifting her hands and waving them across her face for emphasis. "Not of you. Not of this. I would have just rather they found out in a not so... inappropriate... position. Say, us telling them?"

Akko hummed. "Well, it's not like we were _doing_ anything."

"Still..."

A devious smile was spread across Akko's face as she climbed back into the bed, planting a hand on Diana's shoulder and pushing her back against the pillow. "Well, I locked the door this time," she murmured, threading her fingers through Diana's hair and dipping down to capture the other girl's lips with her own. "So now we can be inappropriate all we want."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"Sugoi! Diana! It's snowing!" Akko shrilled when she opened her eyes to see large white flakes falling hastily from thick grey clouds that hovered low in the sky. It had apparently started snowing overnight: the Cavendish Estate was already coated in a thick layer of glistening winter, the branches of the many trees sagging beneath the additional weight. The moat, which had completely frozen over in the days before as the bitter cold settled over the country, was hardly discernible, blending white into white save for the dark reeds along the embankment that still reached through the thickening blanket.

Though she had grown up with light dustings of snow at her home in Japan, Akko had never seen anything quite like the shimmering wonderland that was taking shape outside.

"Er… Diana?"

Akko reached her hand behind her, expecting to feel the warm, sleeping body of Diana, but felt nothing but cold sheets where the girl had been the night before. She turned, brows stitching together in the confusion of finding herself alone.

They had slept together every single night, Diana's own room serving as nothing more than a holding place for the belongings she had brought from Luna Nova, much to the amused giggles and whispers of the other girls and the deep blush of Chariot when she saw them leave the room together one morning. Amanda had sniggered behind her hand one morning at breakfast when Akko had walked in with an absolute rat's nest of hair, whispering something to Hannah that sounded an _awful_ lot like a comment that would make Diana cover her face in embarrassment.

Word of the two witches' intimacy had spread like wildfire between the others, and Akko knew that it was absolutely the result of a certain loud-mouthed American. She had expected Diana to be embarrassed at the comments or questions, to shrug off the accusations with a, "I would hardly even consider Akko in that nature," (or something similarly uptight), but instead she simply looked to Akko with an affectionate smile and a shimmer in her blue eyes that made the Japanese witch turn to liquid on the inside.

"Geez, Diana," Hannah had said on another morning, grinning when she caught the blonde quietly exiting Akko's room to go change into an outfit from her own wardrobe. "You sure do spend a lot of time in there, don't you?"

"Why don't you place your concerns in your own relationship?" Akko had heard Diana retort. The comment had made her breath hitch and a hot blush rise to her cheeks. Relationship? They hadn't even discussed what they _were_ , much less tossed the "R" word out between the two of them. And, yet, there was Diana, taking everything in the same effortless poise as always. Meanwhile, Akko's hand had jerked so hard when Lotte referred to Diana as her "girlfriend" that she'd thrown her tea into her own lap and burned her leg.

Akko enjoyed Diana's warmth, the comforting scent of rosemary and lavender, the steady rise and fall of her chest when she cuddled close into the other girl's body. She enjoyed the wandering hands, the quiet giggles to expel the embarrassment of awkward movements or rogue limbs, the guttural moans that slipped from the back of Diana's throat when she did something right with her fingers or mouth. Though she loved Luna Nova, she dreaded going back to her own empty bed where she wouldn't be able to reach out and pull Diana into a tight embrace as they slept. Even though Diana insisted they wear _clothes_ , which Akko had first thought was the result of innate propriety and unshakable modesty, and had been shocked when the actual answer had been, "I'll never get any sleep, Akko, I wouldn't be able to stop touching you," to which Akko had replied, "I don't see the problem." But, as usual, Akko had lost the battle—over the span of their friendship, she'd grown accustomed to adjusting to Diana's way of doing things. She didn't care, she was still pinching herself at the idea that Diana even felt the same _way._

But now Diana was… gone? To where? It was early still, barely half six, and breakfast wouldn't be for at least a couple hours. Akko climbed out from beneath the sheets, shivering when her bare feet touched the cold stone floor and an icy draft enveloped her body. She shrugged into a sweater, slid into Diana's slippers (which were a little big, but whatever), and set out into the solitude of the early morning hours.

The Manor was peacefully quiet, the only noises being the rhythmic ticking of an old, ornate grandfather clock and the familiar sound of Sucy's steady snores coming from somewhere down the hallway. Akko first checked Diana's room, only to find silence and the bed still made in the same neat fashion that it had been for days.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Kagari?"

Akko turned in the doorway of Diana's room to find Anna, who was already tidily dressed with her hair pulled back into its usual slick, perfected bun. To Akko, it had seemed as though Anna's annoyance at the mere sight of her had dwindled with the passing of the days. It almost felt like Anna was growing to like her.

"I—um—" Akko combed her fingers through messy brown hair and offered a sheepish smile.

"If you're looking for Lady Diana—" A slow, knowing smile tugged at the corner of Anna's lips. "—you will find her on the balcony."

"But it's _freezing_ out," Akko muttered to no one in particular as she made her way through the winding halls of the Manor to the east wing. She padded slowly through the empty ballroom, which had long since been emptied of the garish holiday decorations that Aunt Daryl had put up, to the massive oak doors that led to the same balcony where she had shared that first, relieving kiss with Diana.

Akko pushed through the door, bracing herself for the onslaught of cold and instead finding herself pleasantly surprised by a warmth that soothed her skin. Despite the temperature, a thick layer of snow still covered the balcony, though it felt like nothing more than cotton tickling Akko's ankles as she stepped forward and let the heavy door fall shut behind her.

Diana was curled up on a cushioned bench, bare legs tucked delicately beneath her, hands cupping a still steaming mug of tea. She looked up at the sound of the door opening, soft blue eyes falling on the smaller witch. "Oh, Akko. Good morning."

"Morning," Akko murmured. She reached up and scratched the nape of her neck, suddenly feeling rather silly for seeking out Diana at the first pang of loneliness. "What are you doing out here?"

"I just came out here to think," Diana replied, turning to gaze across the white expanse of the Cavendish Estate. "I couldn't sleep, and solitude can be rather peaceful."

"Oh." Akko shuffled the tip of a slipper into the soft snow. "I'm sorry. I'll go, then."

"No, stay," Diana cut in just as Akko was turning to reach for the door handle. "I would… rather have your company, if you don't mind." She placed a hand on the empty expanse of cushion next to her and motioned to the kettle resting on a small, snow-dusted table within arm's reach. "I didn't bring an extra cup, but I can call for Anna." A pale blush rose into her alabaster cheeks. "Or we can just share mine."

Akko hummed, taking the offered seat next to Diana. She felt the other girl's arm slide around her shoulders to pull her in and, with a content sigh, she settled against the soft body next to her. "How's it so warm out here?" she asked.

"Warming spell," Diana said simply, resting her cheek on the top of Akko's head and lowering the mug in her hands to rest against her thigh.

"Oh. Right." Akko chuckled. Her fingers tickled down the smooth inside of Diana's arm before taking her hand in her own and offering a gentle squeeze. "What were you thinking about?"

Diana inhaled slowly, finding comfort in the familiar, pleasant scent of the girl in her arms. She had been thinking about quite a bit, more than she could ever find the words to explain. The events surrounding the Order of Aurelion, the distant memories of her brother during simpler times when her world wasn't plagued with the transient mortality of those she held dear. She was thinking about her time at Luna Nova, the studying that she would have to catch up with upon her return, the exams she would have to make up. She was thinking about Shiny Chariot, about Yggdrasil, about every single moment in her life that had, at one point, tested her magical ability and her very identity as a Cavendish.

But, more than anything, she had been thinking about Akko.

She would close her eyes and picture Akko's gleeful smile, her contagious laughter, the undeniable aura of positivity that drew people into her world with a magnetic pull. The soft brunette hair that fell in stark contrast to the white linen of the pillows, the crimson eyes that made her insides twist into knots in the best possible way. She loved everything about Akko, from the crooked smile that seemed only for her, to the way everything seemed to slow to a stop when their lips met, to the way she gasped Diana's name while her body shook and her hips rocked into her hand as she came.

Wait… loved?

Yes.

Loved.

"Just reflecting," Diana said at last, giving Akko's hand a tiny squeeze and taking a sip of her breakfast tea. She offered the mug to Akko, who took it without question and brought it to her lips.

"How vague," Akko mumbled when she handed the cup back to Diana, letting her thumb slide gently over the back of her hand in the exchange. "Thank you for sharing."

"Akko—" Diana sighed, lifting her eyes and watching the snow fall against the bubble of warmth she'd built around them. "Fine. I was thinking about you."

"About… me?" Akko raised her eyes to study the side of Diana's face. She reached up and tucked a strand of blonde behind the other girl's ear, letting her touch linger with a hitch of her breath. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, of course not," Diana said quickly, tugging her attention back to the worried eyes that gazed back into her own. "You—you have done everything right, Akko."

"Good," Akko breathed, letting a few fingers trail beneath Diana's chin to pull her forward. She pressed their lips together, relishing in the way the other girl's body sighed into hers. Warm tendrils of magic pulsed between them, making Akko's skin tingle beneath the slow waves of their energy.

The door to the balcony creaked open and Akko broke away in a hasty retreat to the opposite side of the bench, leaving Diana to wipe the back of her hand across her mouth and stare into her cooling cup of tea with a heavy sigh of disappointment.

"Good morning, girls!" Chariot chirped as she stepped onto the balcony, reaching her hands over her head in a long stretch. "You two are up early."

Akko had never seen her dressed as casually as she had been at the Cavendish Manor—baggy flannel sweatpants and an old grey hoodie. It made her look so youthful, serving as a casual reminder that Akko's mentor _really_ wasn't that much older than she was.

"Good morning," Diana replied, feeling the chill of winter start to filter into her bubble of warmth and flicking her wand in a quick circle to bolster the spell. She was vaguely aware of the deep blush that had rushed to Akko's face and hid a frown behind her teacup. The other girl seemed so flighty, almost embarrassed at the thought of being seen at such a close proximity, that Diana would be lying if she said it didn't concern her. It was almost as though Akko went out of her way to create distance when others were around. Diana felt her magic sparking, spiraling out in a desperate attempt to find the stability and comfort that Akko's seemed to bring.

As the others slowly began to join them on the balcony, Barbara leaping at the opportunity to take a seat in the empty spot that had been created beside her, Diana let her attention settle on Akko. The other girl had fallen into the ease of a conversation with Sucy and Lotte, almost as though she'd forgotten about Diana entirely.

Maybe she had misjudged Akko's feelings. She was certain how she felt—there was no doubting the firm squeeze in her chest whenever she saw or thought about her, the white noise that emptied her mind of every other thought.

With a chill seeping through her blood and the mug of tea growing cold in her hands, Diana had to wonder if Akko felt the same way at all.

* * *

"Ha! Take that, mushroom queen!" Amanda shrieked as the snowball flew from her hand and smacked Sucy in the side of the face in a spray of white. She angled her broomstick upwards and zoomed through the grey sky, which still poured thick, heavy flakes.

Sucy grumbled, swiping the snow out of her lavender hair and packing her own snowball. She pulled a vial from her pocket and tipped it, letting a drop of green liquid bleed into white before hurling it back at the American witch. It curved in the air, breaking into pieces against the tail of Amanda's broom, which instantly froze midair, locking up beneath the confused witch's body to tumble from the sky and crash into a deep snowdrift.

"Hey!" Amanda shouted, bursting forth with the broom clutched in a gloved hand and snow coating her wild red hair. "Careful, this is Hannah's broom!"

A snowball smacked her in the side of the face. Hannah ducked behind a nearby tree in a flash, giggling loudly in the glee of her opportune strike.

Sucy covered her mouth with her hand and sniggered.

Lotte and Akko had taken cover behind a limestone wall that stood a good ten inches higher as the snow gathered at the top. Akko had swept a hole into the top with her arms to give the two witches a vantage point from their makeshift fortification, using it to rise up and chuck crudely made snowballs at Constanze and Barbara. Constanze had modified the barrel of her laser rifle and had Barbara shoving snow into the magazine well as they sent golf ball sized pellets spraying at the Red Team in a merciless onslaught. Meanwhile, Jasminka had brought some sort of liquid flavoring and was piling snow into a cup, gleefully making her own snow cones instead of participating in the fight. Well, until Lotte pelted her in the mouth just as she was about to take a bite of her creation. With a pained groan, Jasminka had rolled a massive, lopsided ball of heavy snow to launch it two handed over their wall, striking a wildly laughing Akko directly in the face.

While the act of digging through the beauty of pristine snow to smash it into the faces of others didn't appeal to Diana, she still found herself admiring from afar. As she sat quietly on a nearby stone bench beside a very pensive Chariot, she observed the gleeful smiles and laughter emanating from the group. In particular, the flailing limbs of a certain graceless Japanese witch who had tripped and face-planted into a deep drift of snow in an attempt to race after a shrieking Barbara.

"You like her quite a bit, don't you?"

Chariot's soft, friendly voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned her blue eyes into the fiery red of her childhood idol. Diana brought a mitten to her cold lips and cleared her throat, quickly composing herself at the question that had taken her somewhat off guard.

"I… do, yes," she replied, ducking her chin into her thick wool scarf as she felt the heat rising into her cheeks.

Chariot hummed, filling her hands with soft snow and letting it fall in small clumps through her fingers. "I was wondering when the two of you would get around to sharing your feelings."

Diana's white-blonde eyebrows furrowed into the soft fabric of her knit cap. She let her eyes wander back to Akko, who was pelting snowball after snowball at Jasminka like she was trying to set a record for fast-pitch. "You knew?"

"It was rather obvious," Chariot said with a chuckle. "I'm certain anyone within a fifty foot radius could have felt the tension between the two of you."

Diana felt her blush grow deeper. She looked down at her hands, digging her heel of one of her boots into the bench, and said nothing.

"Croix and I were the same," Chariot confessed. "It took a long time for the both of us to come to terms with the way we felt."

With a hard swallow, Diana met Chariot's eyes once more, noting the shadow that passed over her freckled face with the mention of Croix. "I apologize if my curiosity is out of line, but… what happened? Between the two of you?"

Chariot sighed, squeezing her eyes shut for a long time before opening them once more. "We just grew apart, I suppose. Croix valued her work above all else. I'm not sure she ever fully shared how I felt." She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath and returning her attention to the playing girls. "In any case, I don't believe we were ever as close as you and Akko."

"How—how can I tell? If she feels the same way as I do?" Diana heard herself asking, feeling a deep burn of embarrassment at her childish question. But how was she to know? She had never experienced anything quite like this, anything quite like Akko. Love was beyond her realm of knowledge and hardly something she could find in an old tome from the archives.

"I think you know the answer to that," Chariot replied, watching the snowball fight with a ghost of a smile.

Diana's billowing blonde hair tickled at her cheek as she followed Chariot's thoughtful gaze, her mind turning over what she considered a rather cryptic answer. Akko was back to fighting with Constanze, struggling in vain to overpower the other girl's technology as snowballs struck, one after one, against her thick red coat.

A bout of shrieks and giggles brought her attention to Hannah, who was trying to smash snow in Amanda's face. The taller girl was wrestling the other into her arms, a devious grin spread across her face as she shoved Hannah's hand away and instead brought her into an embrace, smashing their lips together in a lingering kiss.

She felt a tug in her gut, warmth spreading beneath her skin even with the chill of the air. She breathed out slowly as she looked back at Akko, watching the visible vapors dance and twirl in a thick cloud before dissipating into the clarity of bright crimson eyes gazing back. Diana could see the soft blush in the girl's face, the red of a cold nose that Diana longed to have pressed against her own cheek. Akko lifted her hand in a hesitant wave before another onslaught of snowballs struck her in the side of the face and she whirled, mouth curling once more into a wide grin as she returned to her losing battle.

At first, her feelings had been troublesome. As a Cavendish, she was expected to focus on her studies, the growth of her magical abilities, fulfilling the duties and expectations that came with the name she bore. She shouldn't have been dwelling on the nonchalant, rambunctious witch that was Akko Kagari. She shouldn't have let herself fall so deeply into the emotions that coursed through her blood and spread like poison to every cell of her being.

But she _had_. And, yet, despite her characteristic self-control and the very Cavendish notion that she should feel otherwise, Diana found herself not minding in the least.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

There will likely be one(?) more chapter after this, depending on how my mind decides to work.

In response to _Gaby G:_ Thank you for the comment, and the suggestion of making it a series honestly isn't one I had considered. Though, your comment _did_ give me a few ideas, so I won't completely dismiss that idea at all and in fact I'm rather keen on it.

Regardless, I do have a series of one-shots planned after this, as well as an AU I've started working on.

Thanks for everyone's support with this so far!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Snow crunched beneath the shod hooves of the tall, muscled bay mare as she strode obediently forward in a rhythm of quiet snorts. Vapors puffed into the air with each flare of her nostrils, the gently falling snow settling in tiny white flakes at the ridge of her black mane. She followed the thin path through the forest with little guidance, flicking her ears and obediently correcting any misstep with each twitch of Diana's fingers on the reins.

"This is really cool," Akko murmured from behind Diana, breath tickling stray blonde strands that bulged from beneath the other girl's wool scarf. Her arms were wrapped delicately around Diana's waist, body gently swaying with each long step of the mare's powerful hind legs. It had felt kind of strange and almost scary, at first, sitting behind the saddle and on the bare skin of the horse's back, but the mare seemed kind enough and wasn't bothered by the additional weight. The ride had become rather comforting, almost making Akko a little bit drowsy. She rested her chin on Diana's shoulder and relaxed into her guide's body.

"Good," Diana replied. She had chosen one of the better tempered horses in the barn, an older mare she had affectionately named Thistle, who she could trust to easily carry the weight of two riders without a fuss. She scratched at the mare's withers with a gloved hand, smiling at nothing in particular as she leaned back in the saddle and pressed against Akko. "I'm glad you enjoy it."

They were closing in on their destination, and the ride had been nothing less than peaceful. While she enjoyed having all of their friends spending the holidays at the Cavendish Manor, she savored the opportunity of finally getting some alone time with Akko that wasn't just a lust-filled evening where the only words uttered were, "Sorry!" and, "Did that feel okay?" And, even though they'd hardly spoken, the air between them was different. At night, the magic would spark and course through their bodies in a rush of desire, whereas this was more like a gently pulsing warmth.

At one point, Diana had urged the mare forward in a trot, but Akko had bounced around so much (for such strong legs, she had absolutely _no_ sense of how to use them on a horse) that she nearly yanked Diana from the saddle. They'd had to bring Thistle back down to a walk while Akko giggled, panted, and complained loudly about her the state of her crotch.

Diana pushed her hands forward along Thistle's neck and clicked her tongue, dipping down to avoid a low branch as the mare left the woods and began climbing the snow-covered hill that led to the Cavendish memorial site. She felt Akko's grip tighten on her coat as they both leaned forward into their mount's climbing stride.

"Easy up," Diana said quietly to Thistle as she deepened her seat and steadied her pressure on the reins. The mare halted obediently, a rumbling snort slipping through her nostrils as she lowered her head, tongue and teeth toying with the silver bit in her mouth.

"You have to dismount, first." Diana turned in the saddle to face Akko, only to be met with the wide red eyes of uncertainty.

"What? I don't know how to get down!" Akko exclaimed, turning her eyes to the ground. It looked so _far_. "She's too tall!"

Diana sighed, gathering the reins into one hand as she pinched the bridge of her nose with the other. "Just swing your leg over, Akko. It's like dismounting a broom."

"This is _far_ from a broom," Akko muttered. She leaned into Diana and tentatively pulled her leg over the mare's back, accidentally kicking her heel into the hard bone of Thistle's hindquarters in the process.

Thistle's head shot up and she side-stepped in surprise. It wasn't a big deal for Diana, hardly anything that would cause more than an easy shift of her seat, but Akko, in her typical penchant for the over-dramatic, panicked anyway. She yanked Diana down with her. The blonde felt her stomach lurch in surprise and just barely managed to kick the stirrups free before she went tumbling into the snow.

Thistle didn't budge. She simply turned and stared at the tangled bodies of the two witches with a flick of her ears before settling her attention on a bit of grass that was still poking through the snow.

"By the Nine, Akko!" Diana grumbled as she climbed to her knees. "You are quite possibly the clumsiest person I have ever met."

"Geez, Diana," Akko said, splayed out in the snow and staring up at the other girl with a red face. "You could at least ask if I'm _alright_ , first."

Diana huffed. She clambered to her feet and stuck a hand out to help Akko up. "Fine, are you alright?"

She felt her body being yanked back down, releasing a grunt of surprise as Akko grabbed her hand and pulled.

"I'm good," Akko whispered, breath hot against Diana's cheek, before lifting her head and capturing cold, soft lips with her own in a slow kiss that made Diana's stomach flutter. Akko pulled away after a long moment, red eyes blinking open to meet sparkling blue. She let out a long breath. "Thanks," she said.

"Thanks?" Diana pursed her lips in confusion, scrambling to her feet and pulling Akko up with her before her body betrayed her into inappropriate thoughts. "Did you just thank me for a kiss?"

"Er—yeah." Akko reached up and tossed the snow out of her messy brown hair. "Guess so."

Diana shook her head and chuckled, running her hands affectionately down Akko's arms and backside to brush off the snow. She slid the reins from Thistle's neck and led the mare to a tree, where she tied her off to a low branch before stepping through the snow to the nearly covered marble stones that lined the hill. Akko trailed after, stopping momentarily to pat Thistle's neck and mutter a, "Sorry about that."

Diana turned and walked backwards as she watched Akko's interaction with her horse, feeling herself smiling at the adorable way she let her kindness show, even to a creature that certainly didn't understand the sentiment. She waited until Akko caught up before taking the other girl's gloved hand in her own so they could walk together.

She could have gone alone to the cemetery. After all, paying respects to her own family did seem like something that should be done in solitude. Even still, she found herself asking Akko to come with her. The girl had readily agreed without hesitation, even when Diana explained the nature of the visit.

It felt right to go alone, but it felt _more_ right to go with Akko.

The snow rose halfway up most of the stones, showing only the snow-dusted names of her relatives and nothing more. When they reached the large memorial that held both her mother, her brother, and her own name, she released Akko's hand and began to brush the snow off the front. Akko, without being told, ran her hands over the top of the stone to gently clean it off.

Diana felt her heart humming at Akko's actions.

When the two finished, they took a step back to look over the cleaned marker, at the names etched into the marble that reflected back at them. It still unnerved Akko to see Diana's name carved into a stone that signified death, but she shrugged those thoughts away and instead focused on Damien's side.

His death date had been changed to the day they'd sealed the Second Realm and, with it, Damien's chosen fate.

"I had it corrected," Diana murmured without prompt. "It seemed only right."

Akko nodded. She said nothing, instead reaching down to take Diana's hand into her own. Though, surprisingly, as the magic shifted between their bodies, she felt no sadness. There was only content, only warmth and another powerful surge of energy that Akko couldn't even begin to describe.

Diana felt it, too.

"I really just wanted to make sure the job got done," Diana said finally, reaching forward to place a hand against the cold marble. "And say a final goodbye. But… would you maybe just like to sit for a little while? I'm not ready to go back yet."

Without offering a response, Akko turned to settle down into the thick snow, stretching her legs out in front of her and kicking some into a pile at her side. Diana sat down next to her, as close as she could get, feeling the warmth spreading between them despite the cold ground biting through her clothes.

She leaned against Akko, sighing contentedly as she gazed across the winter-covered Cavendish Estate. In the distance, the Manor loomed large beneath a blanket of snow, lines of Christmas lights that Aunt Daryl had the servants put up twinkling in a pleasant outline. She could see a few of their friends: Amanda zooming around on a broom with Hannah tucked up behind her, Lotte and Barbara sitting on a bench together, and Sucy—Nine, was that girl poking around in their _garden?_

Diana assumed the others were likely inside, surrounded by the warmth that emanated from the many fireplaces that burned day and night.

From the frozen moat rose the towering Cavendish unicorn, one hoof pawing majestically into the sky as the blue light of the Philosopher's stone in its horn emanated a welcoming beacon into the clouds. A fog had settled in, nearly obscuring some of the towering monoliths that rose around it.

Nearby, Thistle stomped a hoof into the snow, snorting passively as she stood, patient and quiet, by the tree. Her eyelids had drooped, one back hoof cocked in relaxation as she dozed. Behind them, a few branches cracked somewhere deep in the forest beneath the weight of winter.

Diana took a deep breath. As her mind settled on the one question she had for Akko, she could feel her skin begin to quiver in anticipation.

"Are you cold?" Akko asked, peering over with large red eyes. She wrapped an arm around Diana's shoulders and pulled her in close.

"No," Diana replied. It was cold out, that much was true, but it was difficult to feel the bitter chill when Akko surrounded her entire body with a tingling warmth. "I—just—can I ask you something?"

"Er—" Akko sounded unsure. She bit down on her bottom lip and scrunched her eyebrows together. "Sure. Is everything alright?"

"It's fine—I mean, I think so—it's just—" Diana hesitated, placing a hand on Akko's thigh and giving it a small squeeze before lifting her eyes to meet a worried red. "You're not… embarrassed of us, are you? Of me?"

"Huh?" Akko's expression contorted with confusion as she stared into Diana's soft blue eyes. "Why would I _ever_ be embarrassed of you? That's ridiculous!"

Diana rolled her shoulders in a shrug. She suddenly felt ashamed, like she had let her thoughts run wild and take control. "You just seem different when everybody else is around," she replied, following with, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"I thought you wouldn't be okay with me being too close!" Akko exclaimed. "I was trying to be respectful. You're so uptight, you know?" She winced and looked quickly away at the realization of what she had just said. "Plus, I'm used to having everyone laugh at _me_ , but I don't want you to be subject to that," she added.

Diana _could_ have chosen to be offended by Akko's comment, but she was right. The corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile. "I am rather uptight," she admitted, earning a surprised arch from Akko's dark eyebrows. "But… I'm okay with this. With you."

"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," Akko said, placing a hand on Diana's and wishing she wasn't wearing gloves so she could feel her skin. "I could never be embarrassed of you. You're smart. And gorgeous. And kind. And so—" Her hand left Diana's to wave in front of her. "You're so _perfect_." She smirked, turning to meet Diana's eyes once more. "But, I'm glad you're _okay_ with me," she joked with a chuckle.

Diana had to squeeze her eyes shut as she felt the familiar pang of affection in her chest. Nine, Akko was… _incredible_. How could she ever have thought differently so long ago? She swallowed hard and said, "I am quite a bit beyond okay with you."

She could feel the sharp intake of breath as Akko's body shuddered.

"I'm sorry, I—" Diana started, regret slowly taking hold as she clenched her jaw.

Akko was moving beside her. Diana sat up, watching as the other witch pulled the glove off her right hand and began digging through her coat.

"What are you doing?" Diana asked, only for the answer to come rather quickly.

Akko pulled her hand out of one of her inside pockets. Between her fingers, she clutched the premium Shiny Chariot card that Diana had given her so long ago, under the same snow-covered conditions, in the Blytonbury café.

"Why did you bring that?" Diana's eyebrows stitched together as she looked at Akko. The other girl was quite focused on the card, turning it thoughtfully in her fingers. "You don't want that to get banged up," she added, even though she knew that wouldn't happen because she herself had cast a protection spell on the card to keep it in immaculate condition.

"I brought it—" Akko started before exhaling sharply through her nose. "Er…"

Diana could feel the tremors running through the other girl's body. The magic between them was glowing a pale, transparent green, rising and shifting between them. It felt so vibrant, so wonderfully _alive_ , that for a moment she wasn't entirely sure there wasn't an outside influence. She even lifted her head and peered around their surroundings, only to find that they were still very much alone.

"Are you alright?" Diana asked. "Are you cold? We can head back."

"Yes—no—I'm fine—I brought it because I was hoping it would give me confidence—" Akko took a shuddering breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and then in one, rushed sentence, blurted, "TotellyouI'minlovewithyou."

It honestly felt like something inside her had burst. Diana's breath hitched, her mind blanked in a fog that seemed to spread like wildfire through her entire body. Their magic wavered and pulsed with Akko's confession, nearly stinging their skin with an unshakable sensation of pins and needles.

"I—what?" was all Diana could say.

"I'm in love with you," Akko repeated, tugging wild red eyes to meet Diana's searching blues. "I've loved you for so long. I didn't know if I could ever tell you. I didn't think I would ever have the chance. Or the courage, for that matter. And I'm so, so sorry if it isn't okay," she stammered, "but I need you to know. I love everything about you. I love the way you look at me. I love the way you touch me. I love the way you kiss me. I love how much you believe in me even though I do the _dumbest_ things." Akko hitched her chin and Diana could see the tendons pulsing and tightening in her jaw. She suddenly realized that Akko's eyes were glimmering beneath the threat of tears.

"I am absolutely crazy about you," Akko continued, her breath hiccuping in her throat as she struggled to not let the tears free. "And, Nine, Diana, I am very much in _love_ with you."

Diana didn't know what to say. She felt her body lock up as she watched a single tear break free from the corner of Akko's eye and streak down the soft skin of her cheek. Instinctively, she reached up and gently wiped it away with her thumb.

She had practiced this so many times. In her floor-length mirror back at Luna Nova. In her mind on repeat as she stared at the back of Akko's head in nearly every single lecture they had together. In the open lawn of the vestibule, watching while Akko kicked her heels into the ground and tried desperately to get her broom to take flight.

In the shower, as the hot water draped over her body and the skin of her fingers pruned with the length of her thoughts.

In the library, her notes muddling together before her hazed eyes into a single splotch of ink that Diana couldn't make sense of.

In the cafeteria, while she watched Akko joking with her friends as Barbara and Hannah's words became nothing more than background noise to the harmonic tune of Akko's laughter.

She had daydreamed a thousand ways or more to tell her, and it was always the same: _"Akko, I think I'm in love with you."_

But she didn't think anymore. She _knew_. She had never known something with the certainty in which she knew how she felt about Akko. The library of knowledge in her mind paled in comparison.

"I'm sorry—" Akko breathed, chapped lips quivering, pulling Diana from the mist of her thoughts and back to the moment that she had dreamed of for so long.

She gently cupped Akko's cheek, turning the girl's head toward her. Akko's lips tickled her own as she pressed in with a sharp inhale through her nose. It was a different sort of kiss, the kind that made Diana's insides lurch with an emotion she'd never felt before, one that was far beyond the simplicity of desire or lust. She felt Akko's bare hand sliding against her neck, the edge of the Chariot card between her fingers tickling her ear as she drew them closer.

The magic was surging, rippling in great waves between them, and for the single moment that Diana's thoughts drifted from the soft lips that moved so tenderly against her own, she wasn't sure anymore where her magical signature ended and Akko's began.

Diana was the one to break away, breath coming in short pants as she stared into Akko's unwavering gaze, and said, "Akko, I am _ridiculously_ in love with you."

It was Akko that moved this time, her gaze dipping to Diana's lips as though breathing in the words that she'd just said. She captured her in another kiss, squeezing her eyes shut hard, feeling herself melt into Diana's arms as every little thought fell from her mind.

Diana was in love with her.

Nothing more needed to be said. Instead, the two let themselves fall back into the blanket of snow that crumbled around them, each wanting nothing more than to simply let the moment _be_.

Later, as Akko was settled once more on the rippling muscles of Thistle's soft back, as she pressed close into Diana and let her fingers mold to the hand that the other girl had dropped from the reins, she realized that the fierce, throbbing waves of energy that had flowed so effortlessly between them... wasn't really magic at all. Their magic simply fed off it, swirled through and around the surge of emotions that brought the two witches so close together.

No, it wasn't magic they shared.

And, now, with the clarity of the sun breaking from between clouds to cast light into the dark, both of them knew _exactly_ what it was.

* * *

Christmas at the Cavendish Manor came with a flurry of excitement. The massive spruce tree that now adorned a great portion of large den reached nearly to the vaulted ceiling, bright green limbs stretching wide across the expanse of its designated corner. Maril, Merrill, Hannah, and Barbara had decorated the tree together days before, belting Christmas carols that made Diana squeeze her palms against her ears while Akko sang along through bouts of laughter.

Anna sat in the corner nearest the tree, heavily engaged in a crochet of some sort, but smiling and humming to herself at the raucous chatter that rang out around her. She seemed content, if not even _happy,_ much to Akko's wavering disbelief.

Aunt Daryl, too, was celebrating in her own way. With a loud, dramatic _pop_! she'd uncorked three bottles of champagne, which she'd made sure to _very_ loudly emphasize the price and age of, before passing two around with a, " _Please_ don't tell Headmistress Holbrooke." The last she kept for herself, stating very loudly that she, "Needed some way to cope with the amount of estrogen in the house," and chugged glass after glass to Maril and Merrill's delighted cheers.

In the corner, hammering loudly at an ancient GameBoy that she said she had "found at a civilian relic store", was a very flustered Chariot. She moaned loudly, throwing herself back in an almost childish manner to collapse into the deep leather armchair that she had sprawled out on. "Honestly, how are you supposed to collect this Peek At You when it won't even allow itself to be caught? I've used every single one of these stupid balls!"

"Pikachu," Akko corrected. "It's Pikachu."

"Peek At You!" Chariot repeated, lowering the GameBoy and rubbing at her temple, glasses tilting on her nose. "That's what I said!"

Barbara and Lotte had parked themselves before a blank white canvas that Constanze had constructed. One of Lotte's orbs was being used to project a very overdone and _very_ obnoxious (in Akko's opinion) live-action holiday special of Night Fall. The two were absolutely smitten with the actor that had been chosen to play their beloved Arthur, but complained in high volume about the lack of emotion of the actress playing Belle.

"She is absolutely _dreadful_ ," Barbara moaned, covering her face in her hands. "There were so many better options!"

"Well, I don't think she's _that_ bad," Lotte said, but upon a pointed glare from her raven-haired friend added, "Though I do agree that they could have cast her better!"

Meanwhile, Jasminka was happily munching on sprinkle covered sugar cookies as she watched Constanze, whose was engrossed in rigging the old Cavendish Christmas train set to do... well, something, Akko wasn't sure. She finally got an answer when Constanze stepped back, accepting a sweet from Jasminka to shove into the corner of her mouth, and pressed a button on a thick remote in her hand. The train took off through the air, swirling in curved lines around the room while bellowing smoke and blaring a crackled _White Christmas._ Akko watched, amused, as Aunt Daryl poured a fresh glass of champagne and threw it back with a loud groan.

Sucy, with a wide smirk that showed she was very clearly up to no good, dribbled a hissing blue potion on the train as it passed by her face. The train began garbling the words to the song, coughing loudly as the steam spilling from the front engine began to sputter. In a matter of seconds, it had crashed back to the ground in silence.

Constanze crossed her arms and glared at Sucy as a Stanbot stomped over to the cackling witch. "Miss Constanze is not happy with you, Miss Manbavaran!" Stanbot chirped, to which Sucy merely laughed harder. She held the vial out as though she was going to pour the potion on Stanbot, who turned and fled back to a wide-eyed Constanze.

"Thank the Nine," Aunt Daryl moaned. "I like you!" she exclaimed, lifting a well-manicured finger to point at a very amused Sucy.

"Where is _Amanda_?" Hannah whined from where she sat cross-legged by the fireplace. She had two large mugs of hot chocolate, one of which was clearly meant for the American witch. "Her cocoa is getting cold and _she's_ the one who asked for it!"

Diana, too, was missing. Akko huffed from where she sat on the soft velvet cover of the Cavendish's very pretentious sofa.

"That's an antique!" Aunt Daryl had yelled when Akko spilled a little bit of tea. Akko had merely shrugged and wiped her palm against the dark drops that stood a stark contrast to the lighter material, earning a loud gasp from Maril (or Merrill?) and a, "Did she even _listen_ to our mother?"

"I wonder where they could be," Lotte mused from where she lay on her stomach next to Barbara, legs kicked up behind her.

They didn't have to wait long for an answer. At the sound of shuffling footsteps echoing down the hallway (and a _very_ irritated, "I cannot _believe_ I let you do this, Amanda," from Diana), everyone turned their eyes to the arched entrance of the room.

And there stood Diana—cute as ever in one of Akko's favorite and most well-worn Sailor Moon shirts (which, let's be honest, Akko had only given her because Diana's torso was _slightly_ too long and it showed just a little bit of midriff) and a pair of baggy gray Arsenal sweatpants that Diana had sworn she'd only kept because they were "comfortable". Though, she _had_ seemed rather well-versed in the team's history when Amanda tried to say that Liverpool was far superior...

But the one thing that made Akko inhale her tea and nearly choke was the very large, very gaudy red bow that had been placed carefully on top of Diana's wild blonde hair.

Diana looked _less_ than pleased. She stood in the entrance way with her arms arms dangling lifelessly at her sides and a rather endearing pout. "I had absolutely nothing to do with this," she announced, throwing her hands into the air in emphasis.

"She's lying!" Amanda yelled, gut heaving as she gripped her mouth and tried to hold in the laughter that was threatening to pour out. "It was all her idea! I asked her what she was getting Akko for Christmas and she said, 'Me'. Her idea!"

A deep blush had risen to Diana's face. Her bright blue eyes fell on Akko (who had, at this point, set her tea down and rolled off the sofa in her own laughter) as she shook her head vehemently.

"This is utterly _humiliating_ ," Diana exclaimed. She folded her arms across her chest and rolled her shoulders forward into a hunch. If she had her wand, which she'd most unfortunately left back in Akko's room, she would have very quickly cast a spell to make herself disappear. She didn't know one, sure, but by the Nine she would make one _up._

" _That is so cute!_ " Akko howled as she struggled to her feet, shamelessly using the sofa (much to Aunt Daryl's chagrin) to help her up, and clutched one hand over her trembling abdomen.

"Aw, Diana!" Lotte squealed, rolling over and flopping onto Barbara, who was staring at Diana with her mouth open. "How sweet!"

Even _Anna_ was staring at her with an unprecedented grin. Chariot had let the GameBoy fall into her lap and was chuckling into the palm of her hand.

Diana rolled her eyes, trying to reach up and snatch the bow off her head but finding her arm immediately yanked down by Amanda's hand.

Akko bolted over, flailing a little as her ankle caught the foot of a very pricey looking ottoman, and threw her arms around the blonde witch. "I love it! You're the only present I could want, babe."

"Gah! Gross!" Amanda yelled, retreating from the two witches to find her way to Hannah. Akko could hear Aunt Daryl behind her, groaning once more and clinking the champagne bottle against her glass. Sucy was absolutely doubled over on the floor laughing, Jasminka was grinning into her cookies, and Constanze was rapidly shoving something into Stanbot's grip and pounding away at her remote.

Akko could hear the motor of the Stanbot as he zoomed over. She looked down, still clutching Diana tight in her arms, to see one of his arms extending in an expanding metal rod high above them. In its tiny robot grip dangled a single bough of mistletoe.

Diana groaned in embarrassment, feeling a hot flush rising, fresh and angry, into her neck and ears.

"Welp," Akko mumbled. With a shrug, she lifted her hands to cup the sides of Diana's face and pulled her in, smashing their lips together in what Diana considered to be an extremely amateur kiss. Though, despite her best efforts, she felt herself grinning against the other girl's mouth. "Perfect present," Akko whispered as she broke away, smiling in a way that made Diana's skin tingle. "I love it."

"Wonderful," Diana muttered. "Now may I please remove this ridiculous bow?"

With a chuckle, Akko pulled the bow from Diana's head, making sure to affectionately smooth the other girl's hair. She guided Diana to her place on the sofa, ignoring the finger that pointed at the tea stain and the accusatory, "What exactly happened _here_?" and instead pulling the taller girl into her arms.

The Cavendish Manor was filled with the foreign sounds of the variety of personalities that had come together. Lotte and Barbara, fangirling over Night Fall, both squealing and groaning in exasperation at the events that took place on the screen. Amanda and Hannah, being _very_ public with their displays of affection, earning numerous side-eyed glares and grumbles from Anna. Sucy, no doubt burning holes in the rug that Diana's mother had imported from India, as she ground up and combined alchemy ingredients that she had quite clearly stolen from the garden. Jasminka, chewing with her mouth open and dropping crumbs literally _everywhere_. Constanze, making foul-smelling smoke erupt from the very old train that had been passed down through generations of Cavendish. Chariot, using some _extremely_ questionable language as she yelled at her game, which she had insisted on turning up to max volume so she could, "hear when something happened." Aunt Dary, who was notably intoxicated before the hour struck noon and had opened a bottle of one of the finest Malbec's in the wine cellar. Even Maril and Merrill, who were commenting extremely loudly on the behaviors of their guests even though Anna had attempted to hush them numerous times.

And Akko.

Akko was breathing in a steady rhythm into her ear, face pressed into the crook of Diana's neck where she had fallen asleep some time ago.

Diana leaned down, pressing her lips against the soft skin of Akko's forehead, and smiled at the sleepy mumbles that she received in return, at the fingers that tightened around her waist and the nose that pressed deeper against her pulse.

Resting her cheek to the top of Akko's head, she squeezed her eyes shut, listening contentedly to the unfamiliar and (somewhat) exasperating noises of their friends. She was well aware of her own magic threading into Akko's, twirling around them in gentle, comforting waves, though she knew that the welcoming sensation of home wasn't the result of the magic between them.

Home was her family, those that had both betrayed her in the past but redeemed themselves in the present, those that had been laid to rest during the expanse of her lifetime and, arguably, even those before.

Home was the variety of friends that had gathered, of their own volition, to help when she had needed it the most. The friends from every single different background that had come together through the gravitational pull of the smaller witch in her arms.

Most of all, home was Akko. It was the great emerald waves that surrounded them, that enveloped and warmed them when they came together, that flooded between them in pulsing tendrils that took Diana's breath away and made her whisper a silent prayer to the Nine for gifting her with someone so incredible.

Home was the magic—no, the love—that Diana and Akko shared.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

This is the end of The Magic We Share and, quite fittingly (in my opinion), the longest installment of all 22 chapters. I hope you enjoyed the 5,000+ words of pure cheese.

Thank you to everyone who has commented, favorited, bookmarked, or left kudos on this work. It was an absolute pleasure to write and I enjoyed every moment of it. I plan on going back and making edits/correcting lore/etc, so if anything stands out to you, feel free to let me know.

A shoutout to unableToSleep, who set the stage for the first scene with a detail that I had definitely not thought about-thanks for keeping me in line!

See you all in the future. Soon. :)


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